Jets just what Miami’s defense needed to bounce back
First, there was the near interception for Xavien Howard. For two straight weeks, the cornerback had picked off the opposing quarterback and he almost made it three in a row early in the second quarter when Sam Darnold tested him deep down the right sideline and Howard had an over-the-shoulder grab bounce off his fingertips and harmlessly drop to the ground.
It was the sort of play that has become unsurprising for the NFL’s preeminent ballhawk — he seems to know exactly where the wide receivers are headed and often runs their routes better than they do.
In the fourth quarter, he finally got his pick. Howard glued himself to Jamison Crowder and Darnold futilely tried to sneak a pass by Howard. The defensive back grabbed his league-leading seventh interception and the Miami Dolphins ran out the final minutes of a 20-3 win against the New York Jets.
“It’s unbelievable. He’s always around the ball, he’s always got his hands on the ball,” quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. “He’s a special player in that regard.”
Howard also broke up three passes to at least temporarily move into a tie for the league lead with 15 passes defended, but his game-icing interception was only one of about a half-dozen game-altering plays the Dolphins defense made Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
Nik Needham also grabbed an interception. Linebacker Elandon Roberts dropped Jets running back Frank Gore for a loss on a fourth-and-1 play in the fourth quarter with the game still in the balance. Miami (7-4) sacked Dar
nold three times, hit him another four times, and also added two tackles for loss. New York (0-11) ran the ball 23 times and 15 of those rushes went for 3 yards or fewer.
It was a complete turnaround from last Sunday, when the Dolphins gave up 459 total yards — and 189 rushing yards — in a surprising loss to the Denver Broncos. Miami’s defense, which has been among the best in the league this year, did exactly what it was supposed to do against the worst team in football.
“It’s no secret we’re very disappointed in our run defense a week ago,” Roberts said. “We came out and played good, fundamental Dolphin football.”
Miami also got to take advantage of facing a particularly moribund iteration of the Jets. New York coach Adam Gase is on his last legs in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and a virtual certainty to be fired at season’s end, if not sooner. Darnold’s days as the starting quarterback are likely numbered, too, with the Jets headed to
ward the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and the opportunity to take Trevor Lawrence, the Clemson Tigers’ supposedly can’tmiss quarterback prospect.
Even Gore, a relative bright spot for New York on Sunday with 74 rushing yards on 18 carries, is 37 and likely to be replaced
by a younger tailback next year.
The Dolphins enjoyed their final chance to pick on these Jets.
“Obviously, keeping them out of the end zone’s always a great accomplishment in this league,” coach Brian Flores said. “We had some turnovers, big stops on fourth-and-1.”
On its first drive, New York traveled 55 yards and made a short field goal. Only one of the Jets’ final 10 drives went for longer than 30 yards — an 82yarder right before halftime, which ended with a missed chip-shot field goal. New York’s other eight drives netted just
103 yards on 33 plays.
On the Jets’ first drive of the second half, Howard nearly had an interception for the second time when he outran New York wide receiver Denzel Mims and nearly made another overthe-shoulder grab in the end zone, drawing offensive pass interference in the process. Two plays later, Darnold threw on the run, off his back foot and inaccurately into double coverage, and Needham pulled in his first interception of the year.
“Sam ended up throwing the ball, trying to force it,” the cornerback said, “so I ended up with the pick.”
Miami held the Jets to just one first down the rest of the way. The Dolphins lost fumbles on back-toback drives in the second half and both times their defense got the ball back in four plays or fewer.
After the first, Miami forced a three-and-out. After the second, Roberts stuck Gore in the backfield on fourth-and-1 at the Dolphins’ 17-yard line with 13:24 left and Miami clinging to a 10-point lead.
“We get paid to play defense, no matter what the situation is,” Roberts said. “Coach Flo, [general manager Chris Grier] and the guys upstairs did a great job building the team, and I think our defense is built for them situations.”