Things we learned in Miami Dolphins’ 28-25 win over the N.Y. Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Miami Dolphins ventured to MetLife Stadium on Sunday seeking their first win of the season in a game against the New York Jets, and as it turned out the Jets were just the team the Dolphins needed to face.

Miami defeated New York, 28-25, to get the first win of this rebuild under general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley.

The Dolphins (1-5) cured a lot of ills against the Jets (2-5) , who they've now beaten in 11 of their past 13 meetings, including five of the past six and the past three consecutive.

Dolphins take first lead of season, score multiple TDs and hold halftime lead

The Dolphins took their first lead of the season as a result of the seven-play, 76-yard touchdown drive to open the game. The payoff came on a 7-yard pass from quarterback Malik Willis to rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas in his first game back from an ankle injury after a three-game absence.

When running back Ollie Gordon II scored on a one-yard run later in the first quarter to give the Dolphins a 14-7 lead it marked the first time Miami scored multiple touchdowns in a game. And after Willis scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter it gave Miami a 21-7 lead and marked its first halftime lead of the season. — Chris Perkins

Douglas, who had two receptions for 70 yards after missing the previous three games with a right ankle injury, made perhaps the play of the game with his 63-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the fourth quarter that gave the Dolphins a 28-17 lead with 4:44 remaining.

Douglas' ability to separate by using his deceptive speed and length was a welcome addition to the offense. Douglas resumed his role as team's best big-play option on offense.

Tight end Greg Dulcich, who doesn't get much publicity, had a standout game with five receptions for 86 yards. Jets wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. was the game's standout as a receiver with five receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown, becoming the first wide receiver to eclipse the 100-yard mark against Miami this season. But Dulcich was a factor, especially in the first half when he did all of his damage to help Miami take a 14-7 halftime lead.

The Dolphins had two sacks, marking the second game of the season they've recorded a sack and the second game in which they recorded multiple sacks. Edge rusher Malik Herring got a third-quarter sack Sunday, his first of the season, and Miami's fifth of the season. The Dolphins entered the game last in the league with four sacks. The next closest teams had eight sacks.

Edge rusher Chop Robinson, the 2024 first-round pick, recorded a timely red zone sack in the fourth quarter on third and goal from the 3-yard line to force a 33-yard field goal that allowed Miami to hold a 21-17 lead.

Special teams issues addressed, but still exist on some level

There were different players on the kickoff coverage team than from Cincinnati, and special teams coordinator Chris Tabor even rotated personnel on the kickoffs. Among the new faces on the Dolphins' first kickoff were wide receivers Chris Bell & Jared Wayne, center Andrew Meyer and linebacker Shaka Heyward. On the second kickoff the Dolphins utilized safeties Kyle Louis, Julius Wood and Zayne Anderson and running back Kaytron Allen as well as edge rusher Max Llewellyn. In the last couple of games starting safeties Dante Trader Jr. and & Michael Taaffe have played less on special teams while starting strongside linebacker Willie Gay Jr., who didn't play Sunday due to illness, has played more.

On another special teams note, kicker Zane Gonzalez had a touchback on the opening kickoff, something previous kicker Riley Patterson couldn't execute last game. On the down side Pinion had a 37-yard punt to the Dolphins' 27-yard line in the third quarter and rookie Kyle Louis was called for holding on a kickoff return in the third quarter, affecting Jaylen Wright's 25-yard return. But Pinion also had a 54-yard punt.

Penalties declined but issues surface again

Wide receiver Malik Washington and left tackle Patrick Paul had holding calls declined on a three-play, eight-yard second quarter possession that resulted in a 47-yard punt by Bradley Pinion. The Dolphins have had too many penalties committed by seasoned veterans this was another example even though both penalties were declined.

A holding call on rookie cornerback Chris Johnson was accepted on the first play of the Jets' ensuing possession. One play later edge rusher Josh Uche was called for illegal hands to the face. Fortunately for the Dolphins the possession ended in a punt.

Cornerback JuJu Brents was called for holding on a 60-yard reception by Jets wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. in the third quarter but it was declined. Brents was called for pass interference on a Jets two-point attempt that gave them another play, which they converted to pull within 28-25 with 3:24 remaining. Herring had an unsportsmanlike conduct in the fourth quarter from the Dolphins' 1-yard line that didn't result in any yardage.

More TE trouble, this time from a familiar face in Mason Taylor

Jets tight end Mason Taylor, the St. Thomas alum and son of Dolphins Hall of Fame defensive end Jason Taylor, had a pair of touchdowns, one in the first quarter and another in the fourth quarter, to extend the Dolphins' tight end misery. Tight ranging from Las Vegas' Michael Mayer to San Francisco's George Kittle, Kansas City's Travis Kelce, Minnesota's T.J. Hockenson and Cincinnati's Mike Gesicki have all had measures of success against Miami.

Taaffe gets second INT, Dolphins get much-needed TO

Rookie safety Michael Taaffe got his team-leading second interception in the second quarter at the Dolphins' 31-yard line when he stepped in front of a pass intended for tight end Mason Taylor. The Dolphins entered the game with just four turnovers, which ranked 29th in the league.

Malik Willis plays best game of the season

Quarterback Malik Willis was 14 of 21 for 208 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 130.7 passer rating as he played his best game of the season.

Willis showed improvement in judgement and accuracy in his first game after the bye. Things started a bit shaky in early going. Willis' short pass to RB Ollie Gordon was batted down by linebacker Jamie Sherwood in the first quarter. But Willis had an 11-yard rush in the red zone in the first quarter and showed smarts on a first-down scramble in the final two minutes of the second quarter in which he stayed inbounds and started his slide after the first down marker.

In the first half, Willis was 10 of 13 for 128 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a sparkling 132.9 passer rating in the first half. On third and eight in the fourth quarter it appeared Willis had Douglas open but he threw high, and the errant pass led to a punt. Still, Willis gathered himself and showed what Sullivan and Hafley saw in him during the past two years in Green Bay.

The run game was strong Sunday. Running back Ollie Gordon II had a career-best 103 yards on a career-best 25 carries rushing to power the offense. Gordon had 14 carries for 58 yards in the first half as the Dolphins rushed for 103 yards on 25 carries. This marks the fifth consecutive game over 100 yards rushing. Gordon rushed for a then-career best 100 yards two games ago and 88 yards last game. Miami rushed for 158 yards on a season-best 38 carries.

Rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez had a quiet day Sunday with four tackles. The Jets seemed to always have someone on Rodriguez, who entered the game No. 4 as the league's leading tackler with 57. Rodriguez had three tackles through three quarters.

Now, THAT is something you don't see often

The Dolphins were staring a fourth-quarter tie score in the face from the half-yard line after a Braelon Allen rumble to the 1 and then a foul on Miami's Malik Herring. And, what was the response? Three consecutive tackles for loss. Virtually unheard of. Zach Sieler hauled down tight end Andrew Beck at the 2. Then came a Josh Uche stuff of Allen at the 3. And, finally, there was a Chop Robinson sack for a dozen, forcing the Jets to settle for a field goal, and a 21-17 deficit. — Steve Svekis

Ollie Gordon's incredible October about-face rolls on

For the third game in a row, Gordon exceeded what had been his career best in a game in his first 20 games. In their first 20 outings, the most yards Gordon had run for was 46 yards in Atlanta last year. In his three most recent games: 100 rushing yards in Minnesota on Oct. 4, 88 at home against Cincinnati on Oct. 11 and then the definitive 103 against Gang Green.

It is extremely rare to have the sort of dominant run Dolphins have had over Jets (twice)

The win makes the Dolphins 15-3 against New York since Sept. 25, 2017. Among spans of games in a series of at least 15 games, the 15-3 marks the fifth-most dominant run for the Dolphins. The greatest such stint for Miami is the 20-0 it crushed Buffalo with from 1970-79. Almost as impressive is the 19-1 piled up against the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts from 1977-87. Next up is a previous run against the Jets, going 14-2 from 1970-77. And then, interestingly, comes the Los Angeles Rams, against whom Miami owns a 13-2 all-time mark.

Jeff Hafley needs to be going for two points from the 1 when up by 10 late

Yes, the Dolphins won. But that was wayyyy too conservative in a risk-free situation. Dangerous stuff. A roughing-the-passer penalty on the Dolphins' final touchdown pushed the two-point try, if chosen, from the 2 to the 1. When you need 1 yard to give yourself a two-touchdown lead with 4:44 left, you must go for the 29-17 advantage. If they miss? The Jets, down 27-23, would kick the PAT to make it 27-24. There was no risk to going for two there. Now, a great rebound to go for it on fourth down, but with a ton more risk attached.

Streak of St. Thomas Aquinas massive damage against Dolphins continued

For the third game in a row, the Dolphins saw a graduate of Fort Lauderdale football-powerhouse high school St. Thomas Aquinas do major damage to the aqua-and-orange in a game, as Mason Taylor, son of Dolphins great Jason Taylor, scored two touchdowns, a two-point conversion and a first-down catch on fourth down. At Minnesota, Dallas Turner has two sacks and a forced fumble, and the next week, the Bengals' Jordan Battle snagged two interceptions. Luckily for Miami, there are no former STA Raiders on the Patriots, Miami's next opponent, as of now.

Jordyn Brooks broke through for multiple minus-yardage plays

The Dolphins' most complete defender somehow came into Game 6 without a tackle for loss, but he broke the ice early and often at MetLife, first with a drag down of Jets tight end Jelani Woods for a loss of 1 yard in the first quarter, and then a minus-3 on a completion to Omar Cooper in the second quarter. For a player with 24 TFLs in his past 31 games as a Dolphin heading in to 2026, it was a welcome return to form.

Dolphins' pass rush thrives for a second consecutive road game

Yes, the Dolphins are still on pace for a club-record-smashing 11 games without a sack (they have four such games in their six overall), but they have buzzed the tower pretty solidly their past two games away from South Florida, with four sacks in Minnesota, and then two more in New Jersey on Sunday with a bunch of other big hits on Geno Smith as he released the ball. For those interested, the most games the Dolphins have ever had in a season without a sack was 60 years ago, in the franchise's inaugural campaign, when they were shut out in half of their 14 games.

On deck: New England Patriots, Hard Rock Stadium, Sunday, 4:25 p.m.

The Dolphins get the Patriots off a 10-day break, and Drake Maye coming off a torrid October where he piled up a 119.0 passer rating to go with 129 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.