Miami Dolphins vs New York Jets Box Score on Dec 17, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Dec 17, 2016

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Matt Moore, making his first start in almost five years, threw a career-high four touchdown passes Saturday night as the Miami Dolphins ensured they'd keep pace in the AFC wild-card race with a 34-13 rout of the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.

The Dolphins (9-5) won for the eighth time in nine games to clinch their first winning season since 2008 and at least momentarily move into the final wild-card spot in the AFC, a half-game ahead of the Denver Broncos. The Broncos, who play the New England Patriots on Sunday, hold the strength of victory tiebreaker over Miami.

The Jets (4-10) have lost five of six.

Moore, who previously threw three touchdowns in a game five times, tossed a 1-yard touchdown pass to Dion Sims and a 52-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Stills to stake the Dolphins to a 13-10 lead at the half.

Miami blew the game open by scoring three touchdowns in a span of 4:04 in the third quarter, when Walt Aikens returned a blocked punt 11 yards for a touchdown before Moore connected for touchdown passes with Sims (1 yard) and Jarvis Landry (66 yards).

Moore, who last started Jan. 1, 2012, before becoming Ryan Tannehill's backup when the Dolphins selected Tannehill in the first round of the 2012 draft, finished 12 of 18 for 236 yards. He is the first quarterback to go more than four years between starts since Chris Redman, who went five years and almost two months between starts for the Baltimore Ravens and Atlanta Falcons, respectively, in 2002 and 2007.

Jets quarterback Bryce Petty was 20 of 36 for 235 yards with one touchdown -- a 40-yard strike to Robby Anderson in the first quarter -- and two interceptions before he exited after a hard hit from Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in the fourth quarter.

Bilal Powell had 162 yards of total offense (84 yards on 16 carries and 78 yards on 11 catches) and Nick Folk kicked two field goals.

Bryce Petty's 40-yard touchdown pass to Robby Anderson, who streaked past Bacarri Rambo and outraced him the final 20 yards into the end zone, capped the Jets' first game-opening touchdown drive since Week 1.

The Jets appeared primed to go up by two scores on their next possession, when they marched to the Dolphins' 14-yard-line, but Petty fumbled while being sacked by Wake and Suh recovered.

The Dolphins pulled within 7-6 on Moore's 1-yard touchdown pass to Sims 4:03 into the second quarter, but kicker Andrew Franks missed the extra point attempt. Miami went ahead with 1:58 left in the quarter when Kenny Stills caught a 52-yard touchdown pass from Moore.

The Jets closed the gap to 13-10 on Nick Folk's 48-yard field goal with 18 seconds left in the half.

NOTES: The Jets acknowledged the death of former TE Konrad Reuland during a first quarter timeout. Reuland, who played for the Jets in 2012 and 2013, died Monday from complications stemming from a brain aneurysm he suffered Nov. 28. Reuland is the sixth former Jets player or coach to die this year. ... The Jets had three starters inactive due to injury: LB Lorenzo Mauldin (ankle), NT Steve McLendon (hamstring) and CB Buster Skrine (concussion). ... Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill was the only injured player among Miami's inactive players. ... Tannehill started the previous 77 games for the Dolphins, the longest streak by a Miami quarterback since Dan Marino started 95 straight from 1987 through 1993. ... The Jets played on Saturday night for the second straight season but just the third time in franchise history. It was only the second Saturday night game for the Dolphins and their first since 1969.