FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED:

Beat writer Omar Kelly’s and Steve Svekis’ five takeaways from Sunday’s loss to the Jets.

N.Y. MADE DOLPHINS ONE-DIMENSIONAL

Jay Ajayi’s strugglings against the Jets was a head-scratcher considering New York came into the game allowing 5.4 yards per attempt. Ajayi, who gained 162 yards and scored one touchdown in the two games he played against the Jets last season, only managed 16 yards on 11 carries.

GET COMFORTABLE WITH THOMAS BEING DOLPHINS’ STARTING FREE SAFETY

Nate Allen, who injured his hamstring back to training camp, aggravated the injury during the second half. Michael Thomas, the Dolphins’ special teams captain, replaced Allen as the free safety paired with Reshad Jones. Considering how troublesome hamstring injuries can be, don’t be surprised if Thomas serves as a starter until T.J. McDonald comes back from his eight-game suspension on Nov. 5.

NOWWE KNOW WHY VERNER ISN’T PUSHING FOR A STARTING CB SPOT

On veteran cornerback Alterraun Verner’s first series in the game as Byron Maxwell’s replacement, the former All-Pro cornerback allowed a 69-yard touchdown to Robby Anderson on a deep ball. Anderson got past Verner, who the Dolphins signed to a one-year contract a week before training camp, with ease and caught Josh McCown’s pass in stride.

PRESNAP MISTAKES WERE OMEN FOR REST OF THE GAME

There was one sequence that set the tone for Sunday’s debacle more than any other. In the scoreless first quarter, the Dolphins averted a delay of game at their 39 only when Jarvis Landry wheeled around and called timeout with one second left on the play clock. That timeout was followed by another de facto delay of game by Jay Cutler, though Ja’Wuan James was nailed with a false start after he saw the clock melting to zero and rocked back when the ball should have been snapped. On the next play, Laremy Tunsil was nabbed with a false start. It could have been three consecutive presnap penalties.

DOLPHINS OFFERED UP SAME NICKEL-AND-DIME GAMEPLAN

Against the Chargers, Jay Cutler averaged a shocking 4.4 yards per pass attempt. Somehow, Cutler did even worse in New Jersey with 38 yards on 12 passes (3.2) at the intermission. In the aggregate, Cutler now is averaging 3.9 yards per throw in the first half this season, yielding a combined three points in the opening 30 minutes of the two games.