One of the biggest things Miami showed on Monday was just how tough their defense has turned out to be. Miami's defense prevailed when required the most even though the Jets managed to garner more yards and first downs. Three turnovers were forced by Miami, which really stopped the Jets from scoring when they had chances. Miami’s pass rush was on point, pressuring Jets quarterback Justin Fields all through the night. Fields himself blamed for some sacks, getting rushed on multiple throws, something that really put the Jets out of sync. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks was out there with 18 tackles, cleaning up plays, and basically leading the defense's effort. This is the kind of defense that doesn't just play a decent game, but actually pulls off game-changing stops.
On offense, Miami showed they had a mixed bag of tricks and could play smart football. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa parted well as a game manager and didn't turn the ball over, which has been the issue for them early in the season. Darren Waller, after a season away from the game, really contributed, particularly in close situations, grabbing two touchdown passes that significantly swung the game. With hard runs, De'Von Achane was right up there with him, almost making the triple digits in yardage while also scoring a touchdown. His runs surely helped Miami to control the clock and keep the Jets' offense off the field, as much as possible.
The only thing that actually hit Miami really hard was losing Tyreek Hill early in the third quarter. Hill was working well with six catches for 67 yards until a bad knee injury occurred and he was transported off the field. Hill is a huge loss for Miami being one the team's best player and a big cog in the cosmopolitan system of Miami's offense. But without him, the Dolphins readjusted well and continue putting pressure on New York, showing they can still get it finished as a team.
The Jets at times showed some good moments. scrambled for 81 yards and showed flashes of his talent, including a long touchdown run. Garrett Wilson made a good catch late in the game to get the Jets in striking distance. But New York basically did itself no favors through penalties and turnovers. They had 12 penalties and three giveaways, which cost them dozens of yards and killed a lot of their momentum. Also, running back Braelon Allen hurt himself and fumbled the ball near the goal line early on, which was yet another huge missed opportunity for the Jets.
In the end, it was the Miami defense and an incredibly smart game that pulled off the win. Those Jet mistakes kept mounting, and every time they did, Miami was there to capitalize. They wrapped it up by recovering a late onside kick and hanging tough on defense for the win.
Going forward, this is a major boost for Miami. They proved they could win with limitations on defense and balanced offense even after losing a star like Hill. Keeping their playmakers healthy is certainly going to be something they will want to consider. The Jets have a lot to handle if they hope to turn around this season. They would need to solve issues over penalties and turnovers if ever they hope to start winning.
All in all, it was a hard-nosed game with Miami showing heart and grit to earn their first win, while the Jets came away still searching for answers.