MIAMI (AP) – For 38 years the Jets and Dolphins have waged a rivalry full of shootouts, comebacks, and upsets, with many memorable moments resulting from the good-natured grudge matches pitting New York against its favorite playground.

“It’s the Big Apple versus where everybody wants to be,” Miami defensive end Jason Taylor said.

The series resumes Sunday with a twist: The Dolphins are bad and the Jets appear to be good.

For the first time in 13 meetings dating back to 1997, New York (2-0) comes into a game against Miami (0-3) with the better record. History suggests the Dolphins aren’t doomed to defeat: The team with the better record has won only two of the past 14 meetings.

“It’s always fun, always intense, always going to be a fight … regardless of what the records are,” New York running back Curtis Martin said. “That’s just the way the games between the Jets and the Dolphins go.”

Still, the teams appear headed in opposite directions. New York, coming off a bye, has won its first two games for only the third time since 1987, while the Dolphins are off to their worst start since 1969.

Led by Martin and quarterback Chad Pennington, the Jets’ well-balanced offense has scored 65 points in two victories. The Dolphins, because of a revolving door in the backfield, have scored two touchdowns this seasons – both in the fourth quarter when facing daunting deficits.

On the ground, Miami is averaging 2.1 yards per rush with no touchdowns. Martin, off to the best start in his 10-year career, is averaging 5.2 yards with three scores.

“He has found the fountain of youth,” Dolphins linebacker Junior Seau said. “The guy is running like he’s a rookie.”

Pennington leads the AFC with a quarterback rating of 124.3. Jay Fiedler, who reclaimed Miami’s starting job this week after being benched for 21/2 games, has a rating of 8.0.

“The Jets are feeling good, and we’re reeling a little bit,” Taylor said. “But that stuff is thrown out the window when we play against each other.”

With Florida devastated by a parade of hurricanes, Pro Player Stadium has been half empty for each of the Dolphins’ first two home games, but a capacity crowd is expected Sunday. Many of the spectators will be transplanted New Yorkers.

“We’ll have a bunch of fans there chanting their dumb chant and all that other stuff and being the ignorant fans they are,” Taylor said. “I don’t care if they get mad at me – they don’t like we anyway. It’s a fun atmosphere to play in, though.”

Jets center Kevin Mawae was amused by Taylor’s comments.

“He’s feeling some frustration from everything going on down there,” Mawae said. “It’s rightfully so, and he has to vent to somebody. Why not our fans? Our fans can take it.”

New York won eight consecutive games in the series from 1998-2001, usually when Miami had the better team. Now the Jets are on the rebound from a 6-10 record, while the Dolphins – who last endured a losing season in 1988 – are wondering how low they can go.

Miami coach Dave Wannstedt, whose job has been in jeopardy since last season, is struggling to fend off mounting criticism. Former quarterback Don Strock, a backup to Dan Marino and now the head coach at Florida International University, last week said the Dolphins are a team in disarray who have mortgaged their future with bad trades.

“I didn’t realize Don had that strong a relationship and ties with the Dolphins,” Wannstedt responded. “I’ll have to look back when we were winning 10 or 11 games and check my notes and past phones of encouragement.”

Wannstedt said he has received calls from such supporters as predecessors Jimmy Johnson and Don Shula. And Wannstedt’s players profess to remain unified despite an inept offense and the potential for finger-pointing by a defense that has allowed only two touchdowns all season.

“Those guys are out there busting their tails,” receiver Marty Booker said. “We’re kind of putting them in bad situations at times to fail, and that’s not right. That’s why it’s on us, the offense, to get this thing going.”

The first challenge is to cut down on turnovers. The Dolphins lead the NFL with 10, while the Jets have just one. Miami’s defense has only three takeaways, while New York has six.

Given the Dolphins’ many dismal statistics, it’s remarkable they’ve been outscored by just 7.7 points per game.

“They have played in games that have been very, very tight,” New York coach Herman Edwards said. “If they can make a play or two, they win those games.”

Instead, Miami is in danger of starting 0-4 for the first time since its expansion season in 1966.

Slow starts can be misleading, as the Jets well know. They opened 1-6 in 1999 and 2-5 in 2002, and both years they finished .500 or better. They even won the AFC East in 02.

Miami is desperate for the same kind of turnaround.

AP-ES-09-30-04 1857EDT