Dolphins Look To Sweep Jets & Keep Hopes Alive For Playoffs

East Rutherford, NJ – It’s the regular season finale for the Miami Dolphins as they look to leave it all on the field and qualify for the playoffs against the 4-12 New York Jets this Sunday at 4:25pm.

Sadly, the Fins don’t control their destiny regarding making the playoffs. Still, the road to getting in is quite simple for them. Two things need to happen.

The Miami Dolphins MUST DEFEAT the Jets. I understand the Fins already did that earlier this season, but there’s nothing the Jets would love to do more than play spoiler.

The Denver Broncos MUST LOSE to Kansas City on Sunday at 4:25 pm. Sadly, I wouldn’t count on the Chiefs, as it’s likely that they’ll rest many of their starters, including Patrick Mahomes. They’ve already locked up a home-field advantage and a first-round bye in the playoffs. This game could be meaningless to them.

Chris Jones, Patrick Mahomes, Trent McDuffie, Nick Bolton, Kareem Hunt, George Karlaftis, Travis Kelce, Justin Reid, and Drue Tranquill are doubtful for Sunday's game against the Broncos.

Isiah Pacheco, Jawaan Taylor, Mecole Hardman, and Jaylen Watson are out.

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 3, 2025

With Snoop, We Ride To Battle

Oh yeah, the Dolphins will be without Tua Tagovailoa for a second-straight game with a nagging hip injury. There’s no doubt that Tua is a solid player when he’s on the field, but to see the time he’s missed due to injury after signing a massive contract extension is beyond frustrating.

In any case, Tyler Huntley will get the keys to the offense once again. That might not be so bad, as Snoop played a quality game against the Cleveland Browns last Sunday. With 22 completions for 225 yards and a touchdown, it felt like he reverted to his Pro Bowl year with the Ravens.

Tyler Huntley with the SEASON ON THE LINE:

84% completion percentage
115 passer rating
2 total touchdowns
53 rushing yards
0 interceptions
No turnovers

Gutsy performance being thrown in last minute, on the road, in 40mph gusts and rain in a MUST HAVE game. pic.twitter.com/eQKJGla40u

— Ghost of Adam Gase (@GhostOfAdamGase) December 30, 2024

The offense looked stable and consistent against the Browns, which was never the case when Huntley had to start games earlier this season. Their ability to limit star defensive threats is awe-inspiring, as while Myles Garrett did record two sacks, four total tackles for one of the best at his position is subpar.

With no Jaylen Waddle to throw to, Tyreek Hill rose to the occasion, recording 105 yards. Miami’s running game depended on Huntley, who delivered with 52 yards and a touchdown on the ground. A dual-threat performance like this is unheard of for the Dolphins, which is refreshing.

Cold, Bitter, And A Bad Turf To Boot

When the Dolphins beat the Jets on December 8th, New York was 3-10. Since then, they pulled off a win over Jacksonville before losing their last two against the Los Angeles Rams and New England, so they have a 4-12 record.

How crazy is it to hear that the Jets, who have had a full season of Aaron Rodgers at quarterback this year, will finish with a worse record than last season when they lost Rodgers to a season-ending injury, relied on Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle, and Trevor Siemian, and still won seven games?

Rap: Garrett Wilson could request trade if Aaron Rodgers is Jets QB in 2025.

— Underdog NFL (@Underdog__NFL) December 29, 2024

Yeah, Rodgers has been awful this season. Don’t let the 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions fool you. Despite having solid playmakers like Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams, the Jets don’t have many major offensive stats above the Top 16 in the NFL. Their running game is the second-worst in the NFL, averaging 90.2 yards per game. Only Las Vegas has it worse with 82.4.

The problems with their defense are the same as usual. New York’s five interceptions are the second-fewest in the NFL. Cleveland somehow only has four picks. This is a real problem when you have playmakers like Sauce Gardner, Quincy Williams, and Tony Adams and they can’t force turnovers.

Final Thoughts

I think this is an easy win for Miami for the second straight week if Tua plays. With him out, there’s still uncertainty that I can’t help but feel.

Are the Jets any better than the Browns? Probably not, but this game means more to New York. Their season is in the bin, but this is a divisional rivalry. If the ship is going down, they want to take Miami with them.

Regardless, if the Dolphins’ offense is as good as they were against Cleveland, and if their defense can limit Aaron Rodgers in the process, this shouldn’t be too stressful.

MIAMI – 27

NEW YORK JETS – 14