A challenging season came to an end at the Meadowlands as the Dolphins fell 32-20 to the New York Jets. A win would not have propelled the season any further as the Broncos took care of business against Carson Wentz and the Kansas City Chiefs, but it did drop the Dolphins below the .500 mark for the first time since the 2019 season.
Here are three takeaways from the season finale in New Jersey:
- Tale of Two Run Games
Miami rediscovered the explosive run game that provided the ideal balance in 2023 but had since gone by the wayside in 2024. After producing 65 runs of 10-plus yards last season, fifth-most in the NFL, Miami finished with 51 this campaign (17th in the league). Four of those runs came in Sunday's loss as running back De'Von Achane produced scampers of 12, 15, 20 and 61 yards.
The Dolphins, however, also had seven runs that lost yardage.
For the Dolphins to maximize their offensive effort in 2025, finding consistency in the run game is of paramount importance.
- Milestones for Sieler and Smith
The list of NFL defensive tackles with double-digit sacks each of the last two seasons features just one name – Zach Sieler. With 1.5 sacks of Aaron Rodgers Sunday, Sieler made it back-to-back campaigns with 10 sacks, becoming the first Miami Dolphin to accomplish that feat since Cameron Wake (2016-17). Hall of Fame Defensive End Jason Taylor is the only other Dolphin on that list of players since the turn of the century.
Tight end Jonnu Smith entered Week 18 with the most receptions and yards by a tight end in Dolphins history. He ended the year with 88 grabs for 884 yards. He also caught his team-leading eighth touchdown of the season, giving him the franchise mark for touchdowns by a tight end.
"I am very proud of us still coming into Week 18 and giving ourselves a chance to compete in the playoffs," Smith said. "It didn't go our way but we came out here and we fought … Unfortunately we didn't meet the expectations and the standard that we set out. It'll hurt, but this is a great lesson in life that what defines a man is the failures and not the success."
- Turnovers Tell the Story
It's nearly impossible to win football games when committing four turnovers. The Dolphins started possessions at the Jets' 15-, 27- and 40-yard-lines, and two more that began at the Dolphins' 40- and 46-yard-lines. Those five drives produced just six points: three of them resulting in Dolphins giveaways.
"Ultimately, the success that this team had found, that formula for three-phase complementary football, it just wasn't there for us today," Head Coach Mike McDaniel said. "Turning the ball over numerous times, we got an early takeaway but ended up severely in the minus. You're going against the gods of football if you're trying to win games severely in the minus."
The Dolphins record this season when losing the turnover battle was 2-5. Despite having short fields through the first half, it was Miami's self-inflicted errors that kept the game close and ultimately allowed the Jets to pull away late.
For more analysis, takeaways and breakdowns, download the Drive Time Podcast with Travis Wingfield, available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
