The Miami Dolphins got their first win of the season on Monday night, taking down New York Jets by a score of 27-21.
It wasn’t exactly the French Opera out there, but a win is a win. Here’s three reasons why the Dolphins were able to defeat the Jets on Monday night.
1. Ground & Pound, Baby
For once, the Dolphins actually committed to running the ball on offense, and it set the tone for the rest of the night.
Running back De’Von Achane led the way with 99 yards on the ground and a touchdown, with the rest of the team pitching in for a total of 123 rushing yards on 31 carries.
You may be thinking, four yards per rush? That’s it? While that number isn’t exactly Bo Jackson territory, I’m more interested in the amount of times the Dolphins actually ran the ball—31.
31 separate times, the Jets’ defense found themselves running downhill. As the night went on, they simply had to respect the possibility of a handoff on any given play.
So, when the Dolphins did decide to pull the handoff and run play-action, New York’s linebackers found themselves stuck in no-man’s-land. Suddenly, gaps appeared that weren’t there before, which allowed tight end Darren Waller to find himself free in the end zone not once, but twice on his Dolphins debut.
In short, successfully running the ball opened up the rest of the playbook for the Dolphins offense, and it was smooth sailing from there.
2. Wait, Is That Darren Waller?
Yes, that’s Darren Waller.
No need to scratch your eyes, it isn’t 2020 again. That’s Darren Waller, in 2025, catching two touchdowns for the Miami Dolphins, propelling them to victory on primetime television in their beautiful, glorious new rivalry uniforms.
Many questioned the acquisition of Waller in the offseason, doubting whether a 33-year-old tight end coming out of retirement would be able to fill the hole that Jonnu Smith left after being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It’s early, but it looks like Waller will be able to fill that hole just fine.
At 6’5, 250 pounds, Waller brings something different to Miami’s offense. He’s a real red zone threat, in a way that Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle just aren’t. When you’re working with a short field, sometimes you just need a guy to “go up and get it”.
For his first touchdown, Waller did exactly that. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa put the ball in a place where only Waller could grab it, and grab it he did. He played a big part in Miami’s win, and he deserves his flowers.
3. They Won the Turnover Battle
Coming into Week 4, both the Dolphins and Jets had zero turnovers on defense all season.
Heading into Week 5, the Jets still have zero turnovers on defense.
But the Dolphins don’t.
An aggressive Miami defense forced three turnovers from the Jets, the first of which came on the one-yard line. What could have been an easy touchdown to give the Jets a 7-3 lead in the first quarter, turned into a 15-play, 96-yard drive that ended in a touchdown for the Dolphins.
But surely lightning doesn’t strike twice, right?
Well, in Florida, anything is possible.
As the Dolphins kicked off to start the second half, already boasting a 10-3 lead, the Jets once again fumbled the ball, this time on the kickoff return.
In just 6 plays, the Dolphins went 36 yards down the field to score their second touchdown off a Jets turnover, giving them a 17-3 lead early in the third quarter. The team never looked back after that, and waltzed to victory (save for a late-game scare, eerily similar to that Titans loss in 2023).
Game Preview
Next week, the now 1-3 Dolphins will take on the 1-3 Carolina Panthers on Sunday, 1:00 PM EST at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Panthers are coming off 41-13 loss to the New England Patriots, and will be looking to bounce back in front of their home fans. Stay tuned for another edition of “The Script”, where we preview that game and take a look at what it’ll take for the Dolphins to beat the Panthers in Week 5.
What did you think of the Dolphins win on Monday night? Has your confidence in the team been restored? Let us know in the comments below!
This article was written by Sumeet Jena, who can be found on X at @flameosumeet.
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