The New York Jets struck first and kept it close until halftime, but by the time the third quarter was over, so was the game as the Miami Dolphins managed to score three touchdowns in about four minutes of game clock to cruise to a 34-13 victory on a Saturday night game.
Dolphins vs. Jets 2016 final score: Third quarter avalanche buries New York in blowout for Miami
The game was close until the third quarter, when the Dolphins scored three touchdowns in just over four minutes.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
After Matt Moore threw an interception on the first drive of the second half for the Dolphins, it looked like the Jets would have a chance to start another half strong, but their first drive of the half fizzled.
Momentum then shifted to Miami when Walt Aiken burst across the line to block a punt and scoop it up himself to give the Dolphins a 20-0 lead — even if the NFL Network telecast never showed the play live because a replay was being shown at the time:
After the block, the Dolphins got an interception setting up a touchdown, followed by another stop, setting up a 66-yard touchdown from Moore to Jarvis Landry. All in a span of just over four minutes.
It was the eighth win in nine games for the Dolphins, and boosts the team to the second spot in the AFC Wild Card race, just ahead of the Denver Broncos, who will face the New England Patriots on Sunday.
The Jets were already long out of the race and fell to 4-10 with the loss, but the bigger concern is the health of Bryce Petty, who exited the game after taking a brutal hit from both Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh.
Petty finished the game with 235 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, but struggled to put points on the board after the first drive of the game. On the broadcast, it was said that Petty had the wind knocked out of him and appeared to be cleared to return by trainers, but left for the locker room after warming up on the sideline.
On the other side, Moore stepped in for Ryan Tannehill and did as well as the Dolphins could’ve hoped for. He threw just 18 passes, but finished with 236 yards, four touchdowns and one interception to post an impressive 126.2 passer rating.
The Dolphins round out the regular season with a road game against the Buffalo Bills followed by a Week 17 home game against the New England Patriots.
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