On a Sunday at MetLife Stadium, the Miami Dolphins finally tasted victory in a season that had begun with a painful silence, beating the New York Jets 28-25 and lifting the weight of an 0-6 start. Quarterback Malik Willis carried the offense with two touchdown passes and a score on the ground, while the Jets, who had hoped to steady themselves, rallied late and fell just short. It is a small redemption in the long arc of a rebuilding franchise, where a single win can restore hope without yet resolving what comes next.
Dolphins Snap Winless Start, Beat Jets 28-25 as Malik Willis Accounts for Three Touchdowns
The weight is off everyone's backs in Miami.
Mark
Why does one win in October get this much attention?
Mimi
Because Miami was staring at 0-17 talk. They're the only team with a perfect 17-0 season, and many people expected the reverse under first-year coach Jeff Hafley.
Luke
Worth noting that's framed as a belief held by a large contingent. The reporting doesn't say who or how many.
Mark
What actually decided the game?
Mimi
Malik Willis. Two touchdown passes, a two-yard scramble at the end of the first half, and a fourth-and-1 conversion late to seal it.
Luke
Fair, though the Jets had a chance at 28-25 with 3:24 left. The margin was three points.
Mark
And the Jets?
Mimi
Geno Smith threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns, but also an interception. They're 2-5 now.
Luke
The piece says they can't find consistent play, but that's the writer's assessment. The numbers shown are one game plus the record.
Mark
Does this save Miami's season?
Mimi
Not by itself. They'd need a long win streak to reach the playoffs.
Luke
Right, and how long isn't specified. Relief is the claim here, not a turnaround.
O Pulso
- Miami's winless start threatened to become the defining story of its young season until Willis steered the Dolphins to a road win in New York.
- The Jets clawed back from a 21-7 halftime deficit, with Geno Smith and Mason Taylor cutting the lead to three in the final minutes.
- Willis converted a fourth-and-1 run to seal the first down Miami needed to drain the clock and survive the late surge.
- Both teams now stand at uncomfortable crossroads: the Dolphins need a long winning streak to chase the playoffs, while the Jets at 2-5 must find consistency.
On a Sunday at MetLife Stadium, the Miami Dolphins finally tasted victory in a season that had begun with a painful silence, beating the New York Jets 28-25 and lifting the weight of an 0-6 start. Quarterback Malik Willis carried the offense with two touchdown passes and a score on the ground, while the Jets, who had hoped to steady themselves, rallied late and fell just short. It is a small redemption in the long arc of a rebuilding franchise, where a single win can restore hope without yet resolving what comes next.
The Miami Dolphins left MetLife Stadium on Sunday with a win they had not tasted all season, beating the New York Jets 28-25. The result spared them an 0-6 start and pushed away the grim talk of a historic losing year under first-year head coach Jeff Hafley, who is rebuilding the roster.
Malik Willis led the charge, throwing two touchdown passes and running in a third score. Rookie Caleb Douglas, back from injury, caught the opening touchdown, and Ollie Gordon finished a long drive to give Miami a 14-7 lead. Willis then scrambled in just before halftime, sending the Dolphins in at 21-7.
The Jets, at 2-4 entering the game, had answered early through Geno Smith and Mason Taylor, and they refused to fade. Late in the fourth quarter, Smith found Taylor again for a touchdown and a two-point conversion, cutting the margin to 28-25 with just over three minutes left.
Willis answered on the next Miami drive, converting a fourth-and-1 that allowed the Dolphins to run out the clock. Smith finished with 287 yards and three touchdowns, but an interception and the lost time proved costly. The win does not rewrite Miami's season, yet it lifts the pressure of a winless start. For New York, now 2-5 under Aaron Glenn, the question remains why a promising start keeps slipping away.
The Miami Dolphins walked out of MetLife Stadium on Sunday with something they had not had all season: a win. They beat the New York Jets 28-25, ending a winless start to 2026 that had stretched to five games and, for many observers, looked like the opening chapter of something much worse.
The stakes carried a bit of franchise history. Miami is the only team in NFL history to complete a 17-0 season, and a good number of people had predicted the Dolphins would land on the opposite end of that ledger under first-year head coach Jeff Hafley, who is rebuilding the roster. Sunday's result took the 0-17 outcome off the table and also kept Miami from an 0-6 start, something it had not suffered since 2019.
Quarterback Malik Willis led the way, throwing two touchdown passes and running for a third score. Miami came out of its bye week with a clear edge, scoring on each of its first two possessions. Willis opened the scoring with a seven-yard touchdown pass to rookie Caleb Douglas, who had missed the previous few games with an injury. Ollie Gordon, who has played well since De'Von Achane's season-ending injury, then finished a 14-play drive by pushing into the end zone to make it 14-7.
The Jets, entering at 2-4 and hoping to steady themselves, had answered early. Geno Smith hit Omar Cooper Jr. for a 52-yard catch on the opening drive to flip the field, and tight end Mason Taylor made a highlight-reel grab that tied the game at seven.
Miami pulled ahead before the break. Willis scrambled in from two yards out with only seconds left in the half, sending the Dolphins to the locker room up 21-7.
New York did not go away. Late in the game, Smith found Taylor again, this time for a 12-yard touchdown, and Taylor also caught the two-point conversion. That cut the score to 28-25 with 3:24 remaining and gave the Jets a chance to take the ball back.
Willis answered on the next Miami drive. Facing fourth-and-1, the mobile quarterback pushed through for the first down the Dolphins needed to run out the clock and begin celebrating. Smith finished 23-of-30 for 287 yards, three touchdown passes and an interception.
The win does not change Miami's larger position. The Dolphins would need a long winning streak to get back into the playoff picture, though the pressure of a winless season has lifted. The Jets, now 2-5 under head coach Aaron Glenn after a solid start, are left with questions about why consistent play keeps eluding them.
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