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| Miami Dolphins quarterback Matt Moore (8) and wide receiver Jarvis Landry (14) celebrate with tackle Ja'Wuan James (70) after Landry scored a touchdown against the New York Jets during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger) |
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)
— Matt Moore's first game as Ryan Tannehill's replacement was the best of his
career.
The nine-year veteran stepped in Saturday night by throwing for
four touchdowns in keeping the Miami Dolphins' playoff hopes very much alive with
a 34-13 rout of the New York Jets.
In his first start since Jan. 1, 2012 — a Dolphins victory over
the Jets, with current New York coach Todd Bowles serving as interim Miami
coach — Moore picked apart the mistake-prone hosts.
He hit Dion Sims for a pair of 1-yard TDs and Kenny Stills for 52
and Jarvis Landry for 66 in Miami's eighth win in its last night games. The
Dolphins (9-5) clinched their first winning season since 2008, the last time
they won the AFC East.
Should Moore (12 for 18 for 236 yards) continue such strong play,
they certainly can be optimistic about playing in the postseason.
"There were some nerves and maybe it showed a little
early," said Moore, whose wife gave birth to son Wyatt Monday. "We
started slow, but got in the groove in the middle part. Once we got going, that
negative stuff wore offf and I got on a roll. Credit these guys for getting us
going and making plays. Once those guys got the ball in their hands, it was
impressive."
The Jets (4-10) have lost as many games as they won in 2015,
Bowles' first season in charge. They also lost second-year quarterback Bryce
Petty on the first play of the fourth quarter after he was squashed by
Ndamukong Suh and Cameron Wake and injured his chest.
For good measure, the Dolphins threw in an 11-yard blocked punt
return touchdown by Walt Aiken.
"The defense did a great job with turnovers, just causing
problems," coach Adam Gase said. "The pressure was relentless. And
Walt is a guy making a huge impact on special teams, just now it's resulting in
points."
The game was competitive for a half. For once, the Jets started
quickly. They were awful in the first half of their last two outings, but Petty
immediately guided them 75 yards in seven plays for a 7-0 lead. Robby Anderson,
coming on at receiver late in the year, badly beat Bacarri Rambo on a crossing
pattern and sped into the end zone.
It took a replay challenge by Gase to get an incompletion
overturned into Sims' first 1-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter —
Moore's first TD throw since Week 8 of 2012, also against the Jets. Andrew
Franks' extra point kick hit the left upright, his first miss this season.
Eighth-year defensive end Wake's first career interception on an
awful throw by Petty thwarted another New York threat in the opening half. And
the Dolphins stopped Bilal Powell on a fourth-and-1 run near midfield.
"He has that knack of timing," Gase said about Wake.
"He knows there are moments that can swing a game."
Those plays set up Moore's perfect pass to Stills behind rookie
cornerback Justin Burris for a 13-7 lead.
Powell had a big first half with 113 yards total offense. But it
only helped get 10 points; Nick Folk made a 48-yard field goal with 18 seconds
left. Powell gained only 36 yards in the second half.
The Dolphins were outgained by 225 yards to 129, yet went to the
locker room ahead 13-10.
From there, it was all Miami, getting Aikens' and Landry's scores
and Sims' second TD.
"Oh, they were prepared, but when we play like that, it all
falls on me," Jets coach Todd Bowles said. "It starts at the top.
I've got to do a better job, and they've got to do a better job. But it starts
with me."
BLOCK THAT PUNT
Aiken's short return of the blocked punt was the Dolphins' first
touchdown on such a play since Jimmy Wilson did it at MetLife Stadium against
the Jets in that same game in October 2012.
THOUSANDS UPONS THOUSANDS
Dolphins receiver Jarvis Landry went over 1,000 yards for the
second time in his three-year career. Landry made three catches for 108 yards
and now has 1,031.
Miami running back Jay Ajayi rushed for only 51 yards, but that
was enough to boost the second-year player to 1,007.
ROCKIN' ROBBY
Anderson became the first Jets receiver with two 40- yard touchdowns
in a season since Braylon Edwards in 2010. His other came on the team's
previous touchdown at MetLife Stadium, the final score in a 41-10 loss to
Indianapolis.
INJURIES
Miami starting CB Byron Maxwell left in the first quarter with an
ankle injury.
Jets first-round draft pick LB Darron Lee injured an eye.
UP NEXT:
Dolphins: Visit Bills on Dec. 24
Jets: Visit Patriots on Dec. 24.
AP
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