Malik Willis gave the Dolphins exactly the kind of jolt they needed, and Miami turned it into its first win of the season.
Willis threw for two touchdowns, ran for another, and helped the Dolphins survive a furious late push from the Jets in a 28-25 victory Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Miami, coming out of its bye week, moved to 1-5 and avoided an 0-6 start by jumping fast, staying in control for most of the afternoon, and finally letting coach Jeff Hafley walk away with his first win.
The finish was far tighter than the start suggested. Miami led 28-17 with 4:44 to play before New York made things uncomfortable.
On fourth-and-4, Geno Smith hit Isaiah Davis on a short pass, and Davis turned it into a 41-yard gain to the Dolphins 18. Three plays later, Smith found Mason Taylor in the back left corner of the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown, his second score of the game.
The Jets then had two 2-point tries erased by penalties before Smith connected with Taylor again to trim the gap to 28-25 with 3:24 left.
Miami’s answer was simple: Willis kept the ball on fourth-and-1 and powered ahead for 2 yards to finish it.
Willis completed 14 of 21 passes for 208 yards and those two touchdown throws to rookie Caleb Douglas. He also added 37 yards on eight carries. Ollie Gordon supplied 103 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Douglas was the big-play finisher on both scoring receptions.
Smith went 23 of 30 for 287 yards, threw three touchdowns and an interception, and kept the Jets alive with scoring throws to Taylor twice and Omar Cooper Jr. Braelon Allen added 104 rushing yards, but New York still fell to 0-8 against AFC East opponents under Aaron Glenn.
Miami set the tone right away. The Dolphins opened with a 76-yard march in seven plays, capped by Willis’ 7-yard touchdown pass to Douglas for the team’s first lead in any game this season. That drive also snapped New York’s run of not allowing points on an opening possession in five straight games.
The Jets answered immediately. Smith hit Cooper for 52 yards on the first snap of the possession, and three plays later Taylor climbed over Jason Marshall Jr. in the back of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown to tie it at 7. It marked the third straight game New York scored on its opening drive.
Miami responded with a 14-play, 60-yard march that ended with Gordon’s 1-yard touchdown run. Then came the turnover that stalled New York’s momentum: driving at the Miami 21, Smith tried to squeeze a pass to Taylor, but Michael Taaffe stepped in front for the interception.
The Dolphins’ touchdown run ended on the next series with a three-and-out, but they got back on track before halftime. With 6 seconds left in the first half, Willis scrambled in from 2 yards out to send Miami into the break up 21-7.
New York got a spark to open the third quarter when Allen ripped off a 27-yard run on the first play, but the drive fizzled. Jason Sanders, now with the Jets after a long run as a Dolphins kicker, then missed a 40-yard attempt off the right upright.
The Jets kept pressing. Cooper opened their next drive with a 60-yard catch, then finished it off with a 3-yard touchdown grab to cut the Miami lead to 21-14 with 5:50 left in the third quarter.
Later, New York reached the Dolphins 1 but couldn’t finish the job on runs by Andrew Beck and Allen. Smith was sacked on third down, and the Jets settled for a 33-yard field goal.
Miami answered with the play that looked like the dagger: Willis fired a short sidearm toss to Douglas, who stayed tight to the sideline after the catch and broke free for a 63-yard touchdown that made it 28-17 with 4:44 remaining. New York’s late rally followed, but Willis and the Dolphins did just enough to close it out.
The injury list included Dolphins safety Dante Trader Jr., who hurt his left shoulder in the third quarter, and cornerback JuJu Brents, who left with a stinger in the second half before returning in the fourth quarter. For the Jets, defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat limped off with a knee injury late in the second quarter and did not come back.
Miami hosts New England next Sunday. New York is home against Las Vegas next Sunday.
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