Miami Dolphins Beat Jets 28-25 for First Win of the Season, Willis Accounts for Three Touchdowns

The Miami Dolphins picked up their first win of the 2026 NFL season on Sunday (25 October), beating the New York Jets 28-25 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Quarterback Malik Willis threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score.

The win averted a winless season for the Dolphins. Miami is the only franchise in NFL history to have had a 17-0 season, which is why talk of a possible 0-17 season had followed the team. The Dolphins also avoided going 0-6 for the first time since 2019.

Many believed a winless season was in the cards for Jeff Hafley's rebuilding Dolphins team entering his first season as head coach. That crisis was averted on Sunday. The match report also noted that Miami showed clear spirit on the road after its bye week.

Miami scored on its first two drives of the game. Willis found rookie Caleb Douglas, who had missed the last few games due to injury, for a seven-yard touchdown catch to kick off the scoring.

Ollie Gordon then busted his way into the end zone to cap a 14-play drive, making it 14-7. Gordon has played well since the season-ending injury to De'Von Achane.

The Jets had entered Sunday at 2-4 hoping to get back on track, and Geno Smith looked good on the opening drive. He hit Omar Cooper Jr. for a 52-yard catch to flip the field, and tight end Mason Taylor made a highlight-reel grab to tie the game at seven apiece.

With just seconds left before halftime, Willis scrambled in from two yards out. The Dolphins went into the break up 21-7.

New York made things interesting late. Smith found Taylor again for a 12-yard score, and Taylor also caught the two-point conversion, making it 28-25 with 3:24 left in the game.

Willis and the Dolphins had the opportunity to seal victory on the ensuing drive. On fourth-and-1, the mobile quarterback pushed through for the first down needed to start the celebrations.

Meanwhile, Aaron Glenn and the Jets have more questions to answer as they fall to 2-5 on the year after a solid start to the season. Smith was 23-of-30 for 287 yards with three touchdown passes and an interception, but the Jets cannot seem to find consistent play. The Dolphins still need quite a win streak to get back into the playoff picture, but the weight is off everyone's backs in Miami.