The Dolphins hung close after losing Teddy Bridgewater due to the concussion protocol, but the Jets used a big fourth quarter to get their first winning record since 2018.
Michael Carter, Breece Hall, and Braxton Berrios all ran for touchdowns in the fourth quarter and the Jets sent their AFC East rivals back to Miami on the wrong end of a 40-17 final score. The win moves the Jets to 3-2 on the season and they were last on the happy side of .500 after winning their Week One game over the Lions in 2018.
That game was Sam Darnold’s Jets debut and his replacement Zach Wilson also had one of the team’s five rushing touchdowns. He was 14-of-21 for 210 yards through the air and avoided turnovers in all segments of the game.
His biggest passing play was to Hall, who ran free on a route up the sideline and took Wilson’s pass for a 79-yard gain that set up the first of Carter’s two touchdown runs. Hall had 18 carries for 97 yards and he caught two passes for 100 yards in the most productive outing of his rookie season.
The Dolphins found themselves in uncomfortable water right away when Bridgewater left the game after taking a shot from Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner on the first play of the game. Gardner’s hit forced Bridgewater to ground the ball while throwing from the end zone, so it was a safety that staked the Jets to an early 2-0 lead.
They would stretch that lead to 12-0 before rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson was able to lead a scoring drive and the Dolphins would close within 19-17 before Jason Sanders missed a field goal that would have given them the lead. Carter’s second touchdown came on the next drive and the Jets put things away after Carl Lawson forced Thompson to fumble on a sack.
Thompson was 19-of-33 for 166 yards and an interception in his first regular season action. The Dolphins will be hoping to have Bridgewater and/or Tua Tagovailoa back for next weekend’s game against the Vikings.
The Jets will move on to a road date against a Packers team that is coming back from London on the heels of a loss to the Giants.
