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The Miami Dolphins (9-8) achieved the improbable as they defeated the New York Jets (7-10), to secure the final spot in the AFC Wildcard round.
Prior to the game, the Dolphins had various players on the injury report including: Left tackle Terron Armstead (toe/pec/knee/hip), left tackle Kendall Lam (ankle), wide receiver Cedric’s Wilson Jr. (hip), and lastly, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa who remained sidelined after sustaining another concussion in a loss to the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day. As for the Jets, they were without offensive tackle Duane Brown (shoulder), cornerback Brandin Echols (quad), offensive tackle George Fant (knee), offensive lineman Nate Herbig (calf), and safety Lamarcus Joyner (hip).
The opening quarter was a tone-setter for the rest of the game as it was a defensive slugfest as neither team was able to score. In essence, this matchup between the two division rivals was fought out in the trenches. Moreover, neither team in the first quarter was able to achieve a drive that exceeded over 45 yards. It was not until the five minute mark in the second quarter where the Dolphins had finally scored with the first field goal of the game stemming from a 36 yard drive. The following drive from the Jets amounted to 61 yards, with them being able to notch the score even with a field goal of their own with a minute left for the first half.
The second half had experienced the same amount of defensive pressure from both sides as neither team was able to score a touchdown. In a similar fashion to the second quarter, the Dolphins had scored their second field goal off of a 72 yard drive at the five minute mark with the Jets following up shortly after with a 58 yard drive. For over twelve minutes, the score was tied at 6 with the Dolphins finally being able to score a 50 yard field goal to essentially win the game. The Jets then attempted to go for a miracle with just eighteen seconds left to play but ultimately fell short as the Dolphins forced a safety to close it all out.
Jason Sanders led the way for the Dolphins as he had a redemption arc of sorts from the mishaps earlier on in the season as he was responsible for 9 of the 11 points. Sanders’ longest field goal attempt was for 50 yards in which he was able to convert for the first time this season (1-5). Despite not scoring a touchdown, Skylar Thompson had played a solid game as he put up 152 yards off of a 65% completion rating. The rush game for the Dolphins really stood out as they totaled for 162 yards while Jeff Wilson Jr. and Raheem Mostert combined for 143 yards. The lead receiver was Mike Gesicki with 46 yards followed by Jaylen Waddle with 44 yards, and Durham Smythe with 39 yards (162 yards as a team).
As for the Jets, they were led by their kicker Greg Zuerlein who was responsible for all 6 points with his 2 field goals (longest attempt 35 yards). Joe Flacco stepped in as the starting quarterback for the first time since the week 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Flacco had a subpar game as he had over 149 yards off of a 55% completion rating. In comparison to the rush of the game for the Dolphins, the Jets struggled with only 38 yards and 22 of them coming from Zonovan Knight. The lead receiver for the Jets was Garrett Wilson with 89 yards followed by Corey Davis with 17 yards, and Ty Johnson 13 yards (152 yards as a team).
What’s Next?
Since the Miami Dolphins (9-8) punched their ticket into the AFC Playoffs they will join the other Florida NFL teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars for the first time since 1997. The Dolphins will have to face their division rival, the Buffalo Bills (12-3) come Sunday afternoon. Sunday will mark the first time since the 2016 AFC Wildcard, that the Dolphins have made the playoffs. Additionally, it will be the organization’s third time since 2000. During the season, the Dolphins and Bills split the season series with the Dolphins taking the first match 21-19 and the Bills taking the last outing 32-29. On the season, the Bills averaged 397.6 yards per game and 28.4 points while their defense ranked as 6th across the league allowing 319.1 yards per game and 17.9 points per game. It remains to be seen whether Tua Tagovailoa will be cleared from concussion protocols to partake in his playoff debut.
For more News about the Miami Dolphins visit: www.miamidolphins.com
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