Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdowns to eliminate Miami from playoff contention, including his historic 500th career regular season TD pass in the Jets’ 32-20 victory. The New York Jets vs Miami Dolphins match player stats from January 5, 2025, at MetLife Stadium reveal how Miami’s four turnovers and New York’s red zone efficiency decided a season.
Quick Stats Summary
- Rodgers’ Historic Day: 23/36, 274 yards, 4 TDs, joined exclusive 500-TD club
- Miami’s Turnover Disaster: 4 giveaways (2 INTs, 2 fumbles) led to 21 Jets points
- Achane’s Lone Bright Spot: 121 rushing yards on 11 carries for Miami
- Red Zone Disparity: Jets scored TDs on 4/5 trips, Miami just 2/5
- Playoff Impact: Loss eliminated 8-8 Miami from wild card contention
The Stakes: Win and In for Miami, Pride for New York
Miami needed one victory plus a Denver loss to claim the AFC’s seventh seed. The 8-8 Dolphins faced a 5-11 Jets team playing their season finale. By 4:30 PM, Miami’s season was over, their second consecutive late-season collapse complete. The temperature at kickoff read 1°C with 68,818 fans witnessing playoff dreams die in East Rutherford.
Quarter-by-Quarter Scoring
| Quarter | Miami Dolphins | New York Jets |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 6 | 0 |
| 2nd | 0 | 15 |
| 3rd | 0 | 3 |
| 4th | 14 | 14 |
| Final | 20 | 32 |
Quarterback Statistics: Milestone vs. Meltdown
Aaron Rodgers completed his 500th career touchdown pass at 7:57 of the second quarter, finding Tyler Conklin from 5 yards out. That score gave the Jets a 7-6 lead they never relinquished and placed Rodgers alongside Tom Brady (649), Drew Brees (571), Peyton Manning (539), and Brett Favre (508) in NFL history.
Tyler Huntley started with Tua Tagovailoa inactive due to a hip injury. The Jets’ pass rush sacked him four times, forced four fumbles, and created constant pressure throughout the afternoon.
| QB Performance | Tyler Huntley | Aaron Rodgers |
|---|---|---|
| Completions/Attempts | 25/41 | 23/36 |
| Passing Yards | 227 | 274 |
| Touchdowns | 1 | 4 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 1 |
| Passer Rating | 63.8 | 112.5 |
| Sacks Taken | 4 for -28 yards | 3 for -17 yards |
| Fumbles (Lost) | 4 (1) | 0 (0) |
Rodgers’ only mistake came on his opening pass when Jevon Holland deflected it to Tyrel Dodson. According to the Jets’ game recap, Rodgers called his milestone touchdown an “old school red-zone touchdown” after the original play broke down.
Running Game Production and Impact
De’Von Achane exploded through the Jets defense at 1:24 of the first quarter, racing 61 yards down the right sideline before being pushed out of bounds at the New York 3-yard line. The Jets defense stiffened, forcing Miami to settle for a Jason Sanders 28-yard field goal. That 61-yard burst accounted for over half of Achane’s game total.
| Rushing Statistics | Carries | Yards | Average | Long | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De’Von Achane (MIA) | 11 | 121 | 11.0 | 61 | 1 |
| Breece Hall (NYJ) | 12 | 57 | 4.8 | 17 | 0 |
| Isaiah Davis (NYJ) | 4 | 41 | 10.3 | 20 | 0 |
| Braelon Allen (NYJ) | 4 | 15 | 3.8 | 8 | 0 |
| Jaylen Wright (MIA) | 6 | -4 | -0.7 | 8 | 0 |
| Jeff Wilson Jr. (MIA) | 2 | -4 | -2.0 | -2 | 0 |
Miami’s ground game beyond Achane lost 8 yards on 8 attempts. The Jets spread carries among three backs, controlling tempo without breaking any long runs.
Receiving Statistics and Record-Breaking Performances
Three receiving milestones highlighted the aerial attacks. Garrett Wilson caught four passes to reach 101 receptions for the season, becoming the second Jets receiver after Brandon Marshall to hit triple digits. Davante Adams hauled in his 83rd touchdown pass from Rodgers at 10:24 of the fourth quarter, moving them past Dan Marino and Mark Clayton for third place all-time among quarterback-receiver combinations.
| Leading Receivers | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonnu Smith (MIA) | 9 | 56 | 6.2 | 1 | 12 |
| Davante Adams (NYJ) | 6 | 88 | 14.7 | 1 | 12 |
| Allen Lazard (NYJ) | 3 | 71 | 23.7 | 1 | 3 |
| Garrett Wilson (NYJ) | 4 | 51 | 12.8 | 0 | 5 |
| Malik Washington (MIA) | 4 | 48 | 12.0 | 0 | 5 |
| Jaylen Waddle (MIA) | 4 | 44 | 11.0 | 0 | 9 |
Jonnu Smith set Dolphins franchise records for a tight end with his ninth catch, surpassing previous marks for receptions, yards, and touchdowns in a single season. His 12 targets led all players, but the 6.2 yards per catch average reflected Miami’s conservative approach trailing by multiple scores.
Tyreek Hill caught just 2 passes for 20 yards on 3 targets. The Jets held Miami’s most dangerous weapon to his lowest output of the season despite missing Pro Bowl cornerback Sauce Gardner. Additional analysis of Jets-Dolphins player statistics throughout their rivalry can be found at Match Player Stats.
Defensive Statistics and Game-Changing Turnovers
The turning point came at 1:55 of the second quarter. Haason Reddick beat right tackle Austin Jackson around the edge, strip-sacking Huntley from the blind side. The ball bounced directly to linebacker Quincy Williams, who recovered at the Miami 43. Three plays and 39 yards later, Rodgers hit Allen Lazard for a 13-yard touchdown. Breece Hall powered in the two-point conversion for a 15-6 lead.
| Defensive Production | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | Turnovers | QB Hits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashtyn Davis (NYJ) | 9 | 8 | 0 | 2 INT | 0 |
| Quincy Williams (NYJ) | 9 | 7 | 0 | 1 FR | 0 |
| Jordan Poyer (MIA) | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Oliver (NYJ) | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jevon Holland (MIA) | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1 Deflection | 0 |
| Zach Sieler (MIA) | 6 | 4 | 1.5 | 0 | 2 |
Ashtyn Davis, starting for injured Chuck Clark, intercepted Huntley twice in the second quarter. His first came at 13:04 on a deep ball intended for Hill. The second occurred with 21 seconds remaining in the half, picking off Huntley in the end zone to preserve the 15-6 lead.
Miami’s defense managed one takeaway when Tyrel Dodson intercepted Rodgers’ first pass. Solomon Thomas recovered Jonnu Smith’s third-quarter fumble, while Sieler and Emmanuel Ogbah combined for a fourth-down sack at 3:20 of the second quarter.
Special Teams Impact on Field Position
Malik Washington provided Miami’s biggest special teams play, returning a second-half kickoff 67 yards to the Jets’ 27. The explosive return set up excellent field position, but Miami managed just 8 yards before settling for another field goal.
| Special Teams Statistics | Miami | NY Jets |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals Made/Attempted | 2/2 | 1/1 |
| Longest Field Goal | 28 | 20 |
| Extra Points | 2/2 | 3/3 |
| Punts (Average) | 3 (40.3) | 4 (39.3) |
| Kickoff Return Yards | 141 | 20 |
| Punt Return Yards | 2 | 11 |
| Muffed Punts | 0 | 1 |
Xavier Gipson muffed Jake Bailey’s punt at 7:56 of the first quarter but Miami failed to capitalize, gaining just 13 yards before kicking a field goal. Greg Joseph, playing in his first game as the Jets’ fifth kicker of 2024, made his only attempt from 20 yards.
Critical Team Statistics and Efficiency
The comprehensive statistical breakdown from CBS Sports confirms the key disparities that decided this game:
| Team Efficiency | Miami Dolphins | New York Jets |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 334 | 375 |
| First Downs | 21 | 22 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 1 |
| Red Zone TD Rate | 2/5 (40%) | 4/5 (80%) |
| Third Down % | 3/12 (25%) | 5/12 (41.7%) |
| Fourth Down % | 3/3 (100%) | 1/2 (50%) |
| Penalties-Yards | 4-32 | 6-35 |
| Time of Possession | 32:04 | 27:56 |
Miami converted all three fourth-down attempts, including tries from their own 34 and the Jets’ 48. But those aggressive decisions meant nothing against four turnovers that gifted New York short fields and momentum.
Game Flow and Decisive Moments
First quarter belonged to Miami despite minimal offensive production. Jason Sanders kicked field goals of 26 and 28 yards after Rodgers’ early interception and Achane’s long run. The Jets crossed midfield just once in the opening 15 minutes.
The second quarter flipped everything. New York scored on three straight possessions while forcing three Miami turnovers. Rodgers threw touchdown passes to Conklin (5 yards) and Lazard (13 yards), with Hall adding the two-point conversion. At halftime, the Jets led 15-6 despite nearly identical yardage totals (165 for Miami, 164 for New York).
Third quarter featured just one score, Joseph’s 20-yard field goal following another Miami fumble. Allen Lazard attempted a halfback pass on third-and-goal from the 2 that fell incomplete, forcing the field goal attempt.
The fourth quarter exploded with 28 combined points. Achane capped a 14-play, 78-yard drive that consumed 7:23 with a 15-yard touchdown run at 14:12. New York responded in just seven plays, with Rodgers finding Adams from 4 yards out. Miami answered again through Smith’s 4-yard touchdown catch at 5:21, cutting the deficit to 25-20. But Rodgers engineered the clinching drive, with Hall catching the final 6-yard touchdown pass at 2:30.
Personnel and Coaching Decisions
Jeff Ulbrich’s defensive scheme maximized pressure without star cornerback Sauce Gardner. The Jets blitzed on 15 of Huntley’s 41 dropbacks, generating consistent pressure that led to mistakes. Mike McDaniel’s decision to rest Tagovailoa backfired as Huntley couldn’t handle the moment.
Pat Turner’s crew called 10 penalties for 67 yards, relatively clean for a division game. The most significant was a 15-yard low block on Jets center Joe Tippmann that negated a 27-yard Hall run in the third quarter.
Playoff Race and Historical Impact
Miami finished 8-9 after entering Week 18 in control of their playoff destiny. The loss marked their second straight year missing the postseason after late-season collapses. Denver defeated Kansas City’s backups to claim the seventh seed Miami desperately wanted.
This marked the 119th meeting between the AFC East rivals, with Miami maintaining a 61-57-1 series edge. The result mirrored several recent Jets performances against division opponents, as detailed in their earlier matchup with Buffalo where they also played spoiler.
The Jets improved to 5-12, finishing ahead of New England for third in the division. While the record disappointed, sending Rodgers and other veterans out with a dominant performance provided positive momentum for 2025.
| Individual Statistical Leaders | |
|---|---|
| Passing Yards | Aaron Rodgers (NYJ) 274, Tyler Huntley (MIA) 227 |
| Rushing Yards | De’Von Achane (MIA) 121, Breece Hall (NYJ) 57 |
| Receiving Yards | Davante Adams (NYJ) 88, Allen Lazard (NYJ) 71 |
| Total Tackles | Ashtyn Davis (NYJ) 9, Quincy Williams (NYJ) 9 |
| Turnovers Created | Ashtyn Davis 2 INT, Haason Reddick 1 FF |
| Touchdowns | Aaron Rodgers 4 passing, De’Von Achane 1 rushing |
ESPN’s complete game summary provides additional context on how this result impacted both franchises’ offseason planning.
The New York Jets vs Miami Dolphins match player stats from this season finale demonstrate how turnovers, red zone efficiency, and quarterback play under pressure determined Miami’s playoff fate and potentially Aaron Rodgers’ Jets finale.
