MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — If you’re unfamiliar with the term Pyrrhic victory, the Miami Dolphins‘ 27-21 win Monday night over the New York Jets should help you understand.
Sure, the Dolphins earned their first win of the season, saving them from losing three division games before the end of September, but they lost star wide receiver Tyreek Hill in the process.
Hill suffered what the team fears is a dislocated left knee early in the third quarter and was quickly carted off the field and taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. It’s a shocking injury to one of Miami’s most durable players — not just because of its gruesome nature but because of his significance to this team’s offense.
Only Justin Jefferson has more receiving yards than Hill since 2022, and only Malik Nabers, A.J. Brown and Davante Adams have commanded a higher percentage of his team’s targets.
The Dolphins overcame one challenge Monday night in breaking a winless streak that extended to the 2024 season. The Fins now face new challenges as they prepare for life without Hill.
Miami Dolphins
Turning Point: The Dolphins haven’t played without Tyreek Hill much since trading for him in 2022; he missed just one game in his first three seasons with the team. But that number will increase significantly after Hill’s knee injury Monday. Miami responded with consecutive scoring drives, however, providing a glimmer of hope for an offense built around its best player.
Most surprising performance: If you had Darren Waller catching two touchdown passes in his first game action since January 2024, you might want to look into buying a lottery ticket. Waller was a commanding presence in the red zone, high-pointing Backdault‘s first touchdown pass of the night and toe-tapping in the back of the end zone to complete the catch. Waller also reeled in a 9-yard scoring pass in which he created nearly 4 yards of separation, according to NextGen Stats. With Hill expected to miss the remainder of the season, Waller’s debut suggests he’s ready to play a major role in Miami’s offense.
Trend to watch: The Dolphins failed to contain Justin Fields the last time he played them, when he rushed for 178 yards as a member of the Chicago Bears in 2022. He spearheaded a dominant Jets run game Monday night, rushing for 81 of the team’s 197 yards on the ground — including a highlight-worthy 43-yard touchdown carry in the third quarter. Monday’s game represented a season high in rushing yards allowed by a Dolphins team that has given up at least 120 rushing yards in all four games this season — and more than 150 yards in three of them.
Next game: at Carolina Panthers (1 PM ET, Oct. 5)
New York Jets
There was no sideline dancing for coach Aaron Glenn this week. He wore a blank expression for much of the game, as the Jets resembled a hot mess in a sloppy, mistake-filled loss.
The sobering reality for Glenn: He joins Adam Gase and Lou Holtz as the only coaches to start their Jets career with four straight losses. If you know anything about the Jets’ history, you know that speaks volumes: No coach has started 0-5.
No one expected Glenn to be a miracle worker, but this is troubling because the team is trending in the wrong direction. Facing previously winless Miami, the Jets committed three turnovers and 12 penalties for 101 yards, including six pre-snap flags on the offense.
The Jets were one-dimensional on offense and were frequently out of position on defense. They’re getting worse, not better. And they lost running back Braelon Allen to a potential serious knee injury.
Trend to watch: The Jets trailed at halftime 10-3. So, what else is new? Over the past three games, they’ve been outscored in the first half 50-12. It’s hard for any team to live in that world, let alone a Jets team that isn’t equipped to play quick-strike catch-up. This time, they were lucky to be down by only one score.
Stat to know: The Jets lost three fumbles in a game for the first time since 2023. Ball-security drills, anyone? The miscues led to 14 points for Miami. This was mind-boggling, considering the Dolphins began the game with no takeaways this season. The culprits were Allen, Justin Fields and kickoff returner Isaiah Williams. The Jets have lost two fumbles on kickoff returns this season, more than the rest of the league combined. The last return guy, Xavier Gipsongot cut. Williams should be sweating.
What to make of the quarterback performance: Fields provided the Jets’ only highlight: a 43-yard scramble for a touchdown. It was amazing. In fact, he covered 86.5 yards, per Next Gen Stats, offering a full display of his remarkable running skills. Unfortunately for the Jets, he had more rushing yards through three quarters (73) than passing yards (65). You can win that way in high school, not the NFL.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Wide receiver Garrett Wilson was an afterthought with only three catches for 37 yards through three quarters. He drew extra coverage, which was expected, but offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand has to do a better job of scheming ways to get him the ball.
Next game: vs. Dallas Cowboys (1 PM ET, Oct. 5)
