Dolphins Dominate Jets for Fourth Straight Win, but De’Von Achane Injury Looms Large
The Miami Dolphins are heating up at just the right time. With a 34-10 win over the New York Jets, Miami notched its fourth straight victory and moved to 6-7 on the season. But while the scoreboard showed a comfortable win, the loss of star running back De’Von Achane to a rib injury in the second quarter casts a shadow over the celebration.
Before exiting, Achane was electric - again. He ripped off 92 yards and a touchdown on just seven carries, averaging a staggering 13.1 yards per touch.
That kind of explosiveness has become routine for him this season, where he's already piled up 1,126 rushing yards. His MVP-caliber campaign has been a lifeline for Miami, and his status for next week’s showdown with the Steelers will be closely watched.
In Achane’s absence, rookie Jaylen Wright stepped in and didn’t miss a beat. Wright carried the load with 24 rushes for 107 yards and his first NFL touchdown, helping the Dolphins rack up 241 yards on the ground with a healthy 6.2 yards per carry. That kind of depth in the backfield is what separates good teams from dangerous ones down the stretch.
First-Quarter Fireworks
Miami came out swinging and didn’t let up. The Dolphins scored 21 points in the first quarter - something they hadn’t done since 2015 - and it started with a bang. Jaylen Waddle set the tone with a 21-yard run on the game’s opening play, and just four snaps later, Miami was in the end zone.
Tua Tagovailoa, under some recent criticism for inconsistent play, answered with a sharp early performance. One of his best throws of the season came on a 3-yard touchdown to Waddle, where he eluded pressure and delivered a strike while on the move. It was a confident play from a quarterback who looked in rhythm from the jump.
Miami’s offensive line deserves major credit here. On the Dolphins’ second drive, they gave Tagovailoa ample time to find Greg Dulcich (23 yards), Darren Waller (13 yards), and Waddle again (24 yards) before Achane capped it with a 13-yard touchdown run. Nine plays, 144 yards, and two touchdowns - and they were just getting started.
Wright’s 2-yard touchdown run later in the quarter made it three straight scoring drives and put the Jets in a 21-0 hole. At that point, Miami had averaged 16 yards per play. That’s not a typo.
Defense Steps Up - Again
While the offense was lighting up the scoreboard, Miami’s defense was making life miserable for the Jets. They recorded six sacks, forced three turnovers, and held New York to just one conversion on 12 third-down attempts.
Tyrel Dodson delivered the highlight of the day with an interception that required a second look - literally. On a play that initially looked incomplete, Dodson trapped the ball between his knees before it hit the turf. A successful challenge confirmed the pick, giving head coach Mike McDaniel his first successful challenge of the season.
Rasul Douglas added a veteran-savvy interception at the goal line, reading the play beautifully and refusing to bite on the fake. He nearly had a second INT later in the game. Ethan Bonner rounded out the takeaway trifecta with a pick in the end zone, sending defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver into a celebratory frenzy on the sideline.
Chubb and Sieler Bring the Heat
Veteran defenders Bradley Chubb and Zach Sieler turned up the pressure in the second half. Chubb, who was recently named Miami’s nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, teamed up with Sieler for a pair of third-quarter sacks.
Sieler was a force all afternoon, finishing with 2.5 sacks and three quarterback hits. Chubb added to his recent hot streak with another sack, bringing his total to 6.5 on the year. These two have been the heartbeat of Miami’s front seven lately, and their impact is growing as the games get bigger.
Special Teams Struggles
If there was a blemish on Miami’s performance, it came on special teams. The punt coverage unit gave up a 78-yard touchdown return to Isaiah Williams in the first quarter, snapping a run of 21 unanswered points and giving the Jets their only real spark of the game.
Later, the Jets pulled off a successful fake punt on fourth-and-8, with Malachi Moore taking a direct snap and pitching to Isaiah Davis for a 20-yard gain. While the drive eventually stalled due to a dropped touchdown and a false start, it’s a sequence that special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman will want to clean up - and fast.
A Few Close Calls
Tagovailoa had a couple of near-misses that could’ve changed the tone. Late in the first half, he threw what was nearly a lateral deep in Miami territory. Officials ruled it an incomplete forward pass, and the quick whistle prevented any turnover.
Then in the third quarter, Tagovailoa floated a pass toward Wright that could’ve been a pick-six for linebacker Mykal Walker. It fell incomplete, but it’s the kind of throw that can’t happen with playoff hopes on the line.
Miami also had a 25-yard reception by Dulcich wiped out by a block-in-the-back penalty on Waddle, forcing them to settle for a field goal. And a 39-yard pass interference call on Minkah Fitzpatrick looked costly - until Douglas’ interception bailed them out.
What’s Next
With the win, the Dolphins are now 6-7 and have a chance to get back to .500 next week against the Steelers. The Jets, meanwhile, continue to spiral at 3-10, with rookie quarterback Brady Cook thrust into action after Tyrod Taylor exited early with a groin injury.
For Miami, the formula is clear: ride the run game, let the defense feast, and hope Achane’s injury isn’t serious. If they can keep stacking performances like this, the second half of the season could get very interesting in South Florida.