The Miami Dolphins’ playoff hopes are still flickering with just four weeks left in the regular season. Despite a tough Thanksgiving night at Lambeau Field, they bounced back at home, edging out the New York Jets 32-26 in a nail-biting overtime clash.
Currently, Miami sits ninth in the AFC playoff standings, with both the Dolphins and the Indianapolis Colts holding 6-7 records, trailing the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos by two games. With a shot at breaking even, every little victory counts in this tense race to the postseason.
What Went Right for Miami: The Return of Hill and Waddle
Talk about a dynamic duo. Finding a performance like Tyreek Hill’s and Jaylen Waddle’s in the same game might require a little time travel, but these two wideouts once again reminded us just how electrifying they can be.
Hill racked up an impressive seven receptions for 130 yards, punctuating his performance with an 80-yard touchdown, in a previous clash against the Jaguars. Meanwhile, Waddle was catching everything thrown his way in a clutch win.
Against the Jets, they were back at it. Targeted a whopping 26 times combined, Hill and Waddle hauled in 19 catches for a whopping 214 of Tua Tagovailoa’s 331 passing yards.
Hill notched nine catches for 115 yards and found the end zone, while Waddle snagged another nine for 99 yards. Talk about duo dynamism—it was crucial to overcoming the Jets in this overtime thriller.
What Went Wrong for Miami: Defensive Struggles and a Seemingly Absent Running Game
Miami’s defense managed to be a bit too hospitable, allowing 402 total yards against the Jets—after already giving up 388 yards to Green Bay on Thanksgiving. Anthony Weaver’s unit saw Jets’ veteran QB Aaron Rodgers throw for 339 yards, marking his first 300-yard game since 2021. Notably, this same Jets offense ranked near the bottom of the league, yet managed 26 points—their second-highest total of the season.
Then there’s the Dolphins’ running game, which has seemingly vanished. After averaging over 133 yards per game on the ground early in the season, they’ve struggled mightily, having not reached the 100-yard mark on the ground in five games.
Miami’s total rushing attempts have plummeted, and their average yards per carry have dropped to a measly 2.8. Head Coach McDaniel seems to be leaning heavily on Tagovailoa’s arm, hoping the aerial attack can compensate for the faltering running game.
Turning the Defensive Tide: Zach “Sack” Sieler Steps Up
Miami’s pass rush has taken its time heating up this season, but Zach Sieler made sure to leave his mark against the Jets. After missing out on sacking Jordan Love during their Thanksgiving clash, they rebounded by finally getting to Aaron Rodgers, who’d been sacked 28 times already this season.
Sieler logged two crucial sacks. His first, early in the fourth, led to a much-needed punt, setting up a prime scoring opportunity for the Dolphins.
Later, he backed the Jets into a 3rd-and-21, with New York settling for a field goal instead of further damage.
Welcome to Overtime: Jonnu Smith Seals the Win
Jonnu Smith might have had a quiet regular season with Atlanta in ’23, but he’s making serious waves in Miami. After being let go by the Falcons, Smith found new life with the Dolphins, culminating in a career season.
On Sunday, he was quiet throughout regulation. But in overtime, he came up big.
Tagovailoa found him twice, for 20 and 14 yards, before hitting him with a 10-yard touchdown that sealed the win. Not a bad way to make your only three catches of the game count, and certainly a testament to his pivotal role in Miami’s hard-fought victory.
The road ahead isn’t easy, but if Miami can harness their wideout magic, fix defensive errors, and build on players like “Sack” Sieler and Jonnu Smith, their playoff dream might just stay alive.