MIAMI GARDENS — The month of September will end with the Jets winless.
Tua Tagovailoa threw for 177 yards and two touchdowns and the Dolphins (1-3) won their first game of the season after defeating the Jets (0-4) 27-21 on Monday Night Football at Hard Rock Stadium. This is the first time since 2020, when Adam Gase was the coach, that the Jets have begun a season 0-4.
Gang Green ended that season 2-14.
Monday marked the return of Jets quarterback Justin Fields after he suffered a concussion in Week 2 against the Bills. He missed last week’s loss against the Buccaneers after not passing all five stages of the NFL’s concussion protocol.
Fields completed 20-of-27 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown pass. He also used his legs on a 43-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. He finished the game with 81 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
One of the few bright spots for the Jets was Nick Folk, who made kicks from both 50 and 58 yards. Gang Green also rushed for 197 yards.
The theme of the Jets’ season has been mistakes and penalties, and Monday night’s game against the Dolphins was no exception.
After the Dolphins went up 3-0 following a 47-yard field goal by Riley Patterson, the Jets went on offense for the first time and had a long, methodical drive. Gang Green had a 12-play, 81-yard drive, but the drive failed to result in any points for the Jets.
On a 2nd and six on the Dolphins’ 6-yard line, Jets running back Braelon Allen fumbled and the Dolphins recovered. The takeaway was Miami’s first of the season. The Dolphins then converted that into seven points after Darren Waller, who played in his first game in almost two years, caught a four-yard touchdown in the back of the end zone, which increased their lead to 10-0.
The Jets’ second drive also resulted in a fumble after the team went for it on fourth down, and Tyrel Dodson stripped-sacked Fields, and Jaelan Phillips recovered the ball at the Jets’ 43-yard line. It was the first time the Jets had fumbled on each of their first two drives since 2021, according to ESPN.
Gang Green finally got on the board after Folk converted a career-long 58-yard field goal as the halftime clock expired. That cut the Jets’ deficit to 10-3.
However, on the kickoff after halftime, Isaiah Williams fumbled the return and Dante Trader Jr. recovered the ball. That led to Waller’s second touchdown of the game from Tagovailoa, which made the score 17-3.
Mistakes have plagued the Jets all season, contributing to their winless record. They had also committed penalties, an area Aaron Glenn has emphasized the need to correct. Gang Green led the league in penalties the previous two seasons. Gang Green was called for 12 penalties for 101 yards.
During the third quarter, Jets linebacker Kiko Mauigoa was called for unnecessary roughness following a late hit on Tagovailoa, who attempted a slide on 3rd and 8. That helped De’Von Achane score on a nine-yard touchdown run, which made the score 24-10.
Another mental mistake happened with 11:24 remaining and down 24-13 when Williams signaled for a fair catch on the three-yard line. The Jets eventually punted the ball away after failing to convert on a 3rd and 15.
Allen left the game in the first quarter after his fumble and did not return due to a knee injury. Cornerback Michael Carter II also left Monday’s game after suffering a concussion.
Next up, the Jets will return to MetLife Stadium after a two-game road trip to host the Dallas Cowboys.
