The Jets have been swept by the Dolphins in 2021
Behind a game-winning touchdown for DeVante Parker, the Miami Dolphins kept their late playoff push alive by completing a sweep of their annual set against the New York Jets, via a 31-24 victory on Sunday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium.
Miami (7-7) has now won six in a row and kept the eliminated Jets (3-11) winless in five divisional games this season.
Jets-Dolphins final score
- New York Jets 24 (3-11)
- Miami Dolphins 31 (7-7)
- NFL, Week 15, Final, Box Score
- Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
After forcing the Dolphins into a three-and-out on the first drive of the game, the Jets took a rare early lead on a 10-play, 83-yard trek that ended with trickery via a score on Braxton Berrios‘ reverse off the right end.
Jets 2021 schedule
| Week | Date/Time | Logo | Opponent | Result | W/L | Venue/Location | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun, Sept. 12 1:00 p.m. ET |  | ✈️@ Carolina Panthers | ❌L 19-14 | 0-1 | Bank of America Stadium Charlotte, NC | CBS |
| 2 | Sun, Sept. 19 1:00 p.m. ET |  | 🗽vs New England Patriots | ❌L 25-6 | 0-2 | MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ | CBS |
| 3 | Sun, Sept. 26 4:05 p.m. ET |  | ✈️@ Denver Broncos | ❌L 26-0 | 0-3 | Empower Field Denver, CO | CBS |
| 4 | Sun, Oct. 3 1:00 p.m. ET |  | 🗽vs Tennessee Titans | ✅W 27-24 (OT) | 1-3 | MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ | CBS |
| 5 | Sun, Oct. 10 9:30 a.m. ET |  | ✈️@ Atlanta Falcons (London) | ❌L 27-20 | 1-4 | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium London, UK | NFLN |
| 6 | BYE WEEK |  | |||||
| 7 | Sun, Oct. 24 1:00 p.m. ET | | ✈️@ New England Patriots | ❌L 54-13 | 1-5 | Gillette Stadium Foxborough, MA | CBS |
| 8 | Sun, Oct. 31 1:00 p.m. ET |  | 🗽vs Cincinnati Bengals | ✅W 34-31 | 2-5 | MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ | CBS |
| 9 | Thurs, Nov. 4 8:20 p.m. ET |  | ✈️@ Indianapolis Colts | ❌L 45-30 | 2-6 | Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, IN | FOX NFLN Amazon |
| 10 | Sun, Nov. 14 1:00 p.m. ET |  | 🗽vs Buffalo Bills | ❌L 45-17 | 2-7 | MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ | CBS |
| 11 | Sun, Nov. 21 1:00 p.m. ET |  | 🗽vs Miami Dolphins | ❌L 24-17 | 2-8 | MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ | CBS |
| 12 | Sun, Nov. 28 1:00 p.m. ET |  | ✈️@ Houston Texans | ✅W 24-17 | 3-8 | NRG Stadium Houston, TX | CBS |
| 13 | Sun, Dec. 5 1:00 p.m. ET |  | 🗽vs Philadelphia Eagles | ❌L 33-18 | 3-9 | MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ | CBS |
| 14 | Sun, Dec. 12 1:00 p.m. ET |  | 🗽vs New Orleans Saints | ❌L 30-9 | 3-10 | MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ | CBS |
| 15 | Sun, Dec. 19 1:00 p.m. ET | | ✈️@ Miami Dolphins | ❌L 31-24 | 3-11 | Hard Rock Stadium Miami Gardens, FL | CBS |
| 16 | Sun, Dec. 26 1:00 p.m. ET |  | 🗽vs Jacksonville Jaguars | ✅W 26-21 | 4-11 | MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ | CBS |
| 17 | Sun, Jan. 2 1:00 p.m. ET |  | 🗽vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | ❌L 28-24 | 4-12 | MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ | FOX |
| 18 | Sun, Jan. 9 4:25 p.m. ET | | ✈️@ Buffalo Bills | ❌L 27-10 | 4-13 | Highmark Stadium Orchard Park, NY | CBS |
The successful score created a happy reunion for the former Miami Hurricane, punching in his first touchdown since Oct. 31 against Cincinnati.
Miami’s next drive lasted a single play thanks to Ashtyn Davis‘ second interception of the season. A short field goal from Eddy Pineiro established a rare two-possession lead for New York, who led 10-0 after the first quarter.
You know @HNYNUT_BERRIOS loves South Florida.#NYJvsMIA on CBS pic.twitter.com/nxmzsJzvHA
— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 19, 2021
.@ashtyn getting it right back for us.#NYJvsMIA on CBS pic.twitter.com/IoPyHDI3SX
— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 19, 2021
After an exchange of punts, the Dolphins got on the board on a one-yard run by incoming rusher Duke Johnson, capping off a 68-yard drive where 37 of those tallies were earned via a DeVante Parker hook-up with Tua Tagovailoa.
Tua makes up for an ugly start with a deep dime to DeVante Parker pic.twitter.com/orMwOrnn5y
— FinCuts (@FinCuts) December 19, 2021
Duke Johnson has Miami on the board. #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/RAAJZdiMJs
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) December 19, 2021
The Jets responded in turn with an eight-play, 75-yard journey that featured a one-yard scoring run of their own, this one coming from the legs of Wilson.
Trickery continued to define the early stages for the Jets, who enjoyed 23 yards from Ryan Griffin after Wilson’s double pass and scrambling heroics in one mischievous endeavor.
This was fun, @ZachWilson.#NYJvsMIA on CBS pic.twitter.com/3ySHqS19ue
— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 19, 2021
Miami earned a short 24-yard field goal from Jason Sanders thanks to some strong red zone efforts from the Jets’ defense.
Though New York was unable to add anything more before the halftime break, the team did not allow the Dolphins to get the ball back, thanks in part to further trickery involving Berrios and Jamison Crowder.
Hook and…throw it across the field???#NYJvsMIA on CBS pic.twitter.com/MiiiSGw3w4
— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 19, 2021
Alas for the Jets, they were once again unable to immediately capitalize on a strong first half.
The third quarter and early stages of the fourth were an exercise in Miami dominance, a stretch that began with Johnson’s second score of the day from six yards out.
Miami took the lead on Christian Wilkins’ 1-yard score from Tagovailoa on a tackle-eligible play, while the defense sacked Wilson five times in the second half.
Anyone start Duke Johnson in @NFLFantasy today?@MiamiDolphins make it a 17-17 game! #FinsUp
📺: #NYJvsMIA on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/sP0bY6DxAF— NFL (@NFL) December 19, 2021
CHRISTIAN WILKINS.@MiamiDolphins take the lead following the Big Man TD! @cwilkins42 #FinsUp
📺: #NYJvsMIA on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/2m9FrOFTKA— NFL (@NFL) December 19, 2021
The Jets seemed resigned to their fate until the middle portions of the fourth quarter until Brandin Echols changed the course of the game with his first career interception, taking a Tagovailoa pass back 20 yards for the Jets’ first defensive score of the season.
BRANDIN ECHOLS HOUSE CALL 6️⃣
🎥 @NFL pic.twitter.com/yysOOVNqSd
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) December 19, 2021
Miami, however, had an instant response ready, driving 75 yards in nine plays and just over four minutes.
Parker scored on an 11-yard pass from Tagovailoa before the Dolphins’ defense forced the Jets into a three-and-out, forcing a punt that eventually allowed Miami an opportunity to whittle the clock away.
DeVante Parker gets Miami the lead back 🔥#FinsUp
— TWSN (@TWSN___) December 19, 2021
New York had one more opportunity to pull off a tying or winning drive, but another three-and-out awaited, leading to yet another divisional defeat.
In the end, despite a hot start for rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, the six sacks the Jets’ offensive line gave up was too much to overcome. George Fant’s absence was felt severely, as Conor McDermott did not enjoy a fine outing.
Defensively, a turning point came when safety Elijah Riley left the game on a stretcher. After laying on the ground for some time—in what turned out to be a scary situation—the underdog safety left injured (head or neck) and did not return.
The Jets’ defense was not the same from that point forward (for the majority of the second half).
Play: 👉 the Jet X Offseason Simulator
With the win, Miami has earned consecutive sweeps of their yearly pair with the Jets since 1996-97 and now hold a two-game lead over their fiercest rivals all-time (57-55-1).
Next up for the New York Jets will be a narrative-filled week revolving around rookie quarterbacks. The top picks of the 2021 draft will square off next Sunday, as Zach Wilson’s Jets take on Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium (1 p.m. ET, CBS).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags