MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The good times are back for the Miami Dolphins.
Just six days after the worst loss of the Mike McDaniel era, the defense had its best game in years, shutting out the New York Jets for the second time in four seasons.
With their 30-0 victory, the Dolphins will enter Week 16 with a real chance to clinch a playoff spot.
New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins Instant Observations
No Tyreek, No Problem
The big surprise from the Dolphins’ inactives was the decision not to play Tyreek Hill (ankle), who last missed a game in 2020.
Credit Tua Tagovailoa for not letting the Dolphins’ offense fall apart with the Cheetah caged. Tagovailoa simply found a new favorite receiver — who looked a lot like his 2021 favorite receiver.
Jaylen Waddle had the breakout game the Dolphins desperately needed, roasting the NFL‘s No. 2 pass defense for 142 yards on eight catches.
His signature play?
A 60-yard touchdown catch, which featured Waddle running right past an overmatched D.J. Reed for the score.
Tua Tagovailoa with a 💣 to Jaylen Waddle 🔥#FinsUp | #NFLpic.twitter.com/gM6AJPNgoU
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 17, 2023
Tagovailoa was marvelous Sunday, completing 21 of 24 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown — a passer rating of 119.4.
Raheem Mostert, Touchdown Machine
The Dolphins’ record book will look a lot different in 2024.
Raheem Mostert now owns the franchise record for rushing and total touchdowns in a season — and needed just 14 games to break both.
Mostert scored twice in the first half Sunday, both times on the ground. The first TD, a two-yard run midway through the first quarter, gave him 17 rushing scores on his first 187 carries.
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That broke Ricky Williams’ 21-year team record, but Williams had 16 touchdowns in 383 carries that year.
Mostert on the year now has 18 rushing touchdowns and 20 offensive scores. The team record for total touchdowns in a season was 18, set by Mark Clayton in 1984.
Offensive Line Hangs Tough
Here was the Miami Dolphins’ offensive line, from left to right, before starters got pulled late:
That’s because yet another Dolphins offensive lineman got hurt — this time, Austin Jackson.
So the Dolphins scoring 30 points was impressive — even if the defense helped in a big way.
While pass protection remained a bit of an issue — Tagovailoa was sacked three times — and the run game was a bit clunky, credit the most makeshift of makeshift lines for not being a major liability.
A First Half To Remember for Dolphins’ Defense
Down three starters in the secondary and two linebackers, the Dolphins’ defense was far from 100% Sunday.
Sure couldn’t have told by watching them, particularly in the first half.
The Jets managed a pathetic four total yards in the game’s first two quarters — the fewest gained by any NFL team in eight years. The most incredible stat? The Jets allowed more sacks (five) than they gained yards in the first half.
Miami also turned New York over deep in its own end, with fumble recoverer Zach Sieler stopped just a yard shy of the goal line. That would have given the Dolphins their fourth defensive touchdown in as many games.
The Dolphins also knocked Jets starting quarterback Zach Wilson out of the game with a concussion.
On the day, New York averaged 1.9 yards per play and allowed 14 quarterback hits.
Redemption for Bradley Chubb
The biggest problem?
Bradley Chubb, who had the ultimate bounce-back game just six days after a boneheaded mistake gifted the Titans four points in a game the Dolphins lost by one.
Chubb tied his career high with three sacks, forced two fumbles (recovering one of them), and had two tackles for loss in perhaps his best game as a pro.
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