Darren Waller had a pair of touchdown catches in his first NFL game in nearly two years, and Tua Tagovailoa threw for 177 yards to lead the Miami Dolphins to their first win of the season, 27-21 over the New York Jets on Monday night.
The Dolphins lost star receiver Tyreek Hill to what appeared to be a serious knee injury in the third quarter. The five-time All-pro made a catch and land awkwardly on his left leg after being tackled near the New York Jets’ sideline. Players from both teams took a knee while Hill was tended to, and he was immediately carted off and taken to a hospital.
Tagovailoa completed 17 of 25 passes and didn’t have a turnover for the first time this season as he moved to 7-0 against the Jets as Miami’s starter. The Dolphins (1-3) won their 10th straight at home against the Jets (0-4), who are still searching for their first win under coach Aaron Glenn.
The Jets pulled within six with 1:49 left when Garrett Wilson hauled in a 23-yard jump ball from Justin Fields, who ran it in for a 2-point conversion.
After recovering the onside kick, the Dolphins went three-and-out while working the clock to 13 seconds. Miami then pinned the Jets on their own 1, and the game ended on a play where New York tried a series of laterals, one of which was flagged as an illegal forward pass.
Waller, playing his first game since the end of the 2023 season, caught a 4-yard pass in the back of the end zone from Tagovailoa on fourth-and-goal in the second quarter of his Dolphins debut. The 33-year-old scored again on a 9-yard catch in the third that put Miami ahead 17-3. He finished with three receptions for 27 yards.
The Dolphins amassed 123 yards rushing behind De’von Achane’s 20 carries for 99 yards. Achane had a 9-yard scoring run.
Fields completed 20 of 27 passes for 226 yards in his return from a concussion that sidelined him in Week 3. He added 81 yards rushing, including a 43-yard scramble for a score on fourth-and-1 that pulled the Jets within a touchdown midway through the third.
The Jets gained 197 of their 404 yards with a highly effective ground game — they averaged 7 yards per carry — but turned the ball over three times and were penalized 13 times, including an offensive pass interference against Wilson that wiped out a touchdown in the third.
On their first drive, which started on their own 14, the Jets ran the ball 10 times for 74 yards before Braelon Allen had the ball punched out by Dolphins cornerback Jack Jones near the goal line. Minkah Fitzpatrick recovered for Miami’s first takeaway of the season.
Fields had the ball stripped on a sack the next drive, and Dante Trader recovered receiver Isaiah Williams’ fumble on the first play of the third quarter.
Jets veteran Nick Folk made two field goals: a career-long 58-yarder and another of 50 yards.
