MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Dolphins (10-4) rolled past the Jets (5-8) 30-0 behind two touchdowns by running back Raheem Mostert, three Jason Sanders field goals and a stellar defensive effort.
Sunday’s loss eliminated the Jets from postseason contention for the 13th consecutive season (2010), which is the longest drought in the four major professional sports. It also ensured the team would have a losing season for the eighth straight year.
The last time Gang Green registered a winning record was in 2015, when it finished 10-6.
The Dolphins also swept the Jets for the second time in three seasons. Miami won both meetings with Gang Green in 2021.
“Credit to them, obviously, they won the battle up front,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “Right from the get, they made it hard on us to get anything going in both the run and the pass game.”
After what Saleh called his best performance in a Jets uniform against the Texans, Zach Wilson played in his second consecutive game after he was renamed the team’s starting quarterback after a two-week benching. In a 30-6 victory against Houston, Wilson completed 27 of 36 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns.
But the third-year player’s day was cut short due to injury. Wilson left the game and was taken to the locker room with 1:03 left in the second quarter with the Jets down 24-0 because of “hydration,” according to the team. Then it was changed to what was described as a head injury, but the team initially said he was not placed in concussion protocol.
But the Jets ruled Wilson out late in the fourth quarter with a concussion. He completed 4 of 11 passes for 26 yards and was sacked four times. Miami consistently generated pressure in Wilson’s face during the first two quarters.
Trevor Siemian replaced Wilson but wasn’t able to get anything going offensively. He completed 14 of 26 passes for 110 yards and two interceptions.
Breece Hall rushed for 12 yards on six carries. Garrett Wilson was basically a non-factor after recording three catches for 29 yards.
The Jets had just four total yards to end the first half. They finished with 103 yards for the entire game compared to 290 for the Dolphins.
“For me, I didn’t do a good enough job,” Siemian said. “I look inwardly. I didn’t play well enough to win, and I think a lot of guys can say the same.
“This league is so tough, there’s no carry over, there’s no transitive thing to playing well. If you’re not and the other team is executing at a high level, that’s what it is going to look like.”
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins had a much better day offensively despite star receiver Tyreek Hill (ankle) missing his first game since joining the Dolphins in 2022. Hill suffered the injury during the 28-27 loss to the Titans on Monday night and he didn’t participate in practice leading up to the game.
Tagovailoa was still able to have an efficient day, completing 21 of 24 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown. He also finished with an 87.5% completion percentage.
Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle also recorded eight catches for 142 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown. Mostert chipped in with 42 rushing yards on 15 carries, and two touchdowns. He now owns the Dolphins single-season franchise record for rushing touchdowns (18) and overall touchdowns (20).
“As we looked throughout the week, not having Tyreek, yeah, it sucks not having one of your star guys out there,” Tagovailoa said.
“But as a collectible group, it’s like, what are we going to do? Run the ball the entire game, play action the entire game? We shouldn’t change who we are as an offense because one guy is out.
“We have a lot of other guys that we trust and who we believe in and that’s what happened out there. It is just the trust that we have in each other.”
Sunday’s game can be summed up as a series of unfortunate events for the Jets. On their first offensive drive of the afternoon, Wilson was stripped by Bradley Chubb after he beat Mekhi Becton on the play. Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler recovered the ball at the Jets’ four, which later set up Mostert’s one-yard touchdown.
Then, in the second quarter, on the first play of that drive, Tagovailoa completed a 60-yard touchdown pass to Waddle with D.J. Reed in coverage. Waddle’s touchdown increased Miami’s lead to 17-0.
“It was just one-on-one, it is my fault, I just got to stay on top,” Reed said. “I gotta get him down, I gotta make the play.
“That’s on me, I gotta be better. It is that simple.”
Miami’s third touchdown of the day was a one-yard touchdown run by Mostert with 1:03 left in the second quarter.
Chubb had his best game since he was traded to the Dolphins in November of 2022. He registered seven tackles, three quarterback hits, two strip sacks, and three sacks in total.
Entering Sunday’s action, the Jets had a 0.2% chance to make the playoffs according to ESPN’s Football Power Index and were 13th in the AFC Standings. But the loss to the Dolphins ended the Jets’ playoff dreams.
Gang Green was holding out hope that Aaron Rodgers would return this season after he suffered an Achilles injury in Week 1 against the Bills on Sept. 11. On Nov. 29, the Jets opened Rodgers’ 21-day practice window when he was cleared for some, but not all football activities. He has recently ramped up his rehab regimen, and Saleh called Rodgers’ progress “unbelievable” recently.
On Saturday night, NFL Network and ESPN both reported Rodgers is likely to be medically cleared to play next week against the Commanders. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he will play in the Christmas Eve game or again this season.
The Jets and Rodgers both need to discuss the next course of action. The four-time MVP told reporters earlier this month that it wouldn’t make much sense to return if the Jets don’t have a chance to make the playoffs.
“I don’t have any… there’s no discussion until he’s actually cleared,” Saleh said about Rodgers potentially playing.
The Jets have until Wednesday, Dec. 20, to either place Rodgers on the 53-man roster or he will revert back to injury reserve and miss the rest of the season.
The Jets will return to MetLife Stadium next week on Christmas Eve for their final home game of the season against the Commanders. The Dolphins will host the Cowboys.
