EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Tua Tagovailoa silenced his cold weather doubters and the Miami Dolphins crushed the New York Jets 34-10 at MetLife Stadium on December 7, 2025, keeping their improbable playoff push alive while officially ending New York’s postseason hopes for the 15th consecutive year.
Miami’s ground game carved up the Jets defense for 239 yards on 41 carries, with Jaylen Wright posting a career-high 107 yards after De’Von Achane left with a rib injury. The Dolphins (6-7) extended their winning streak to four games, completing a stunning reversal after opening the season 1-6.
The Jets (3-10) lost starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor to a groin injury in the first quarter, forcing undrafted rookie Brady Cook into his NFL debut. Cook finished 14-of-30 for 163 yards with two interceptions as New York’s offense managed just 207 total yards.
“This game was definitely disappointing,” first-year Jets coach Aaron Glenn said. “The only thing I can say is I didn’t have these guys ready to play.”
Table of Contents
Miami’s Running Game Takes Control
The Dolphins established dominance early through their backfield rotation. Achane exploded for 92 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, including a 39-yard burst, before departing with the injury in the second quarter. Wright seamlessly filled the void, carrying 24 times for his first career 100-yard performance and a touchdown. Rookie Ollie Gordon II added 17 yards and another score.
Miami controlled possession for 36:07, converting two of 10 third downs while the ground attack kept chains moving. The Dolphins averaged 5.8 yards per carry and rushed for three touchdowns, with Achane’s 13-yard score and Wright’s patient running keeping the Jets defense on its heels throughout.
“That’s a formula to win games in December,” Miami coach Mike McDaniel said.
Dolphins Rushing Stats
| Player | Carries | Yards | Average | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylen Wright | 24 | 107 | 4.5 | 1 | 12 |
| De’Von Achane | 7 | 92 | 13.1 | 1 | 39 |
| Ollie Gordon II | 5 | 17 | 3.4 | 1 | 12 |
| Jaylen Waddle | 1 | 21 | 21.0 | 0 | 21 |
Tagovailoa Handles the Cold
With temperatures at 41 degrees at kickoff, Tagovailoa improved his career record to 1-7 in games played at 46 degrees or colder. More importantly, he moved to 7-0 as a starter against the Jets and 8-0 overall against the AFC East rival.
The fifth-year quarterback completed 13 of 21 passes for 127 yards with a touchdown to Jaylen Waddle, who led all receivers with five catches for 50 yards. Tagovailoa connected with Waddle for a 3-yard score on Miami’s opening drive, getting hit as he released the ball but delivering enough velocity for the completion.
“I felt good, but it’s football,” Tagovailoa said. “Whether it’s hot, whether it’s cold, you’ve got to go out there and you’ve got to play.”
Greg Dulcich caught three passes for 41 yards, while tight end Darren Waller added one reception for 13 yards. The passing attack wasn’t spectacular, but Tagovailoa protected the football and managed the game while the rushing attack controlled tempo.
Quarterback Comparison
| QB | Team | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tua Tagovailoa | MIA | 13/21 | 127 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 94.7 |
| Brady Cook | NYJ | 14/30 | 163 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 35.8 |
| Tyrod Taylor | NYJ | 1/4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 |
Jets Quarterback Nightmare Continues
Taylor lasted just over 10 minutes before exiting with a groin injury. He completed one of four passes for six yards and threw an interception before getting hurt. The veteran was making his third straight start after Justin Fields was benched with knee soreness.
Cook entered cold and faced immediate pressure from Miami’s front seven. The rookie from Missouri showed poise late in the game, moving the offense in the fourth quarter, but threw two costly interceptions and absorbed six sacks for 27 yards in losses.
“I think you definitely saw flashes there in the fourth quarter of us moving the ball,” Cook said. “We need more of it.”
Breece Hall carried 14 times for 43 yards as the Jets managed just 65 rushing yards total. Mason Taylor led receivers with five catches for 51 yards, while John Metchie III added four receptions for 34 yards.
Defensive Front Dominates
Zach Sieler terrorized Jets quarterbacks with 2.5 sacks, part of Miami’s six-sack performance. Ifeatu Melifonwu, Willie Gay Jr., and Chop Robinson each added sacks as the Dolphins pressured on 25.8% of New York’s dropbacks.
The secondary forced three turnovers, with interceptions by Rasul Douglas (who returned his five yards), Tyrel Dodson, and Ethan Bonner. Dodson’s first-quarter pick came on a bizarre play where he pinned the ball between his knees after Mason Taylor deflected Taylor’s pass. The play was initially ruled incomplete before Miami coach Mike McDaniel challenged successfully.
Ashtyn Davis led the Dolphins with six tackles (four solo), while Jordyn Brooks and K.J. Britt combined for 10 stops. The defense held New York to 12 first downs and 1-of-12 on third down conversions.
Defensive Leaders
| Player | Team | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamien Sherwood | NYJ | 15 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ashtyn Davis | MIA | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Oliver | NYJ | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zach Sieler | MIA | 4 | 3 | 2.5 | 1 | 0 |
| Quincy Williams | NYJ | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Isaiah Williams Provides Lone Jets Highlight
Trailing 21-0, Isaiah Williams returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown with 20 seconds left in the first quarter, cutting Miami’s lead to 21-7. The return marked Williams’ second punt return touchdown of the season and energized a MetLife Stadium crowd of 68,625.
The celebration proved short-lived. Miami answered with a field goal before halftime and added 10 points in the third quarter to put the game away. Williams finished with three punt returns for 91 yards.
Playoff Picture: Contrasting Fortunes
The loss officially eliminated the Jets from playoff contention, extending their drought to 15 straight seasons without a postseason berth. New York hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2010, the longest active streak in the NFL and across all four major North American professional sports leagues.
“We knew they were going to come out fast and the biggest thing was us coming out fast, too,” Jets linebacker Quincy Williams said. “We didn’t do that the first series. We didn’t show up earlier.”
Miami kept mathematical playoff hopes alive at 6-7, though their chances remained below one percent. The Dolphins needed to win out and receive help from multiple teams across the conference.
“I don’t think I’ve been in the league where I’ve had a stretch necessarily like this one,” Tagovailoa said, “in terms of the start to the year and finding that flow toward the later end of the year.”
Complete Team Stats
| Category | Miami | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 358 | 207 |
| Rushing Yards | 239 | 65 |
| Passing Yards | 119 | 142 |
| First Downs | 23 | 12 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 2-10 | 1-12 |
| Fourth Down | 0-0 | 1-2 |
| Red Zone | 4-4 | 0-3 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 3 |
| Sacks-Yards | 1-8 | 6-27 |
| Penalties | 5-54 | 6-50 |
| Time of Possession | 36:07 | 23:53 |
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
- MIA: Waddle 3-yard pass from Tagovailoa (Patterson kick), 7-0
- MIA: Achane 13-yard run (Patterson kick), 14-0
- MIA: Wright 1-yard run (Patterson kick), 21-0
- NYJ: Williams 78-yard punt return (Folk kick), 21-7
Second Quarter
- MIA: Patterson 53-yard field goal, 24-7
Third Quarter
- MIA: Patterson 38-yard field goal, 27-7
- NYJ: Folk 31-yard field goal, 27-10
Fourth Quarter
- MIA: Gordon 12-yard run (Patterson kick), 34-10
What’s Next
Miami travels to Pittsburgh for a Monday night showdown with the Steelers, while the Jets head to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars next Sunday. For the Dolphins, every game remains a must-win to keep playoff dreams alive. For the Jets, the remaining schedule offers only a chance to build toward 2026 under Glenn’s direction.
The final score and complete box score from MetLife Stadium painted a clear picture: Miami’s season turned around when it mattered, while New York’s continued descent confirmed another lost year in a franchise defined by them.
