Tua Tagovailoa’s TD pass to Jonnu Smith gives Dolphins 32-26 overtime win over Aaron Rodgers, Jets

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Tua Tagovailoa threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jonnu Smith in overtime and the Miami Dolphins overcame Aaron Rodgers’ first 300-yard passing game in nearly three years to beat the New York Jets 32-26 on Sunday.

After Jason Sanders tied it with 7 seconds left in regulation with a 42-yard field goal, Tagovailoa quickly moved the Dolphins (6-7) down the field and they beat the Jets for the ninth straight time in Miami.

That came after Anders Carlson gave the struggling Jets (3-10) — who were eliminated from postseason contention for the 14th straight year — the lead with a 42-yarder with 52 seconds remaining. But Malik Washington put the Dolphins in great position to help set up Sanders’ field goal with a 45-yard kickoff return to Miami’s 46-yard line.

Tagovailoa was 33 of 47 for 331 yards and two TDs. He had just one incompletion on Miami’s eight-play, 70-yard scoring drive that was capped by Smith’s fourth touchdown of the season.

Smith didn’t have a catch before catching three for 44 yards on the winning drive.

Rodgers was 27 of 39 for 339 yards, ending a drought of 34 regular-season games without a 300-yard passing game — dating to Dec. 12, 2021, while with Green Bay — and had a TD pass to Davante Adams.

But Rodgers could only watch from the sideline in overtime as the Jets never got the ball after blowing a second straight second-half lead.

Rodgers and Adams connected for a 3-yard score in the third quarter, the pair’s 79th touchdown in the regular and postseason. They passed Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown for the fourth-most by a quarterback-receiver duo in NFL history.

Adams finished with nine catches and 109 yards.

The Dolphins trailed entering the fourth quarter, but Tagovailoa connected with Tyreek Hill for a 4-yard TD and Jaylen Waddle caught the two-point conversion to tie it at 23. Hill caught 10 passes for 115 yards, and Waddle added 99 yards on nine catches..

The Jets took a 20-15 lead in the third on Adams’ touchdown that was set up by a 42-yard pickup by Garrett Wilson, who beat cornerback Jalen Ramsey on a double move to get open.

A 40-yard field goal by Carlson later stretched New York’s lead to 8 after the Dolphins went scoreless in the quarter.

The matchup pitted the Jets’ No. 2-ranked pass defense against Tagovailoa, the NFL’s most accurate passer, and Miami’s No. 9-ranked pass defense against the four-time MVP Rodgers who has had a subpar season.

Both quarterbacks were strong and the teams played rather evenly at first, with each scoring on their first three possessions. The first punt of the game was on Miami’s first drive of the second half, and the Jets scored on their first five possessions.

Tagovailoa had just three incompletions in the first half and was 3 for 3 on Miami’s final drive of the second quarter, moving the Dolphins into field goal range in 45 seconds to set up a 57-yarder by Sanders, which tied the kicker’s career best.

Sanders also made kicks of 39 and 24 yards, and De’Von Achane had a 2-yard rushing touchdown on Miami’s opening possession.

Rodgers moved the Jets inside Miami’s 20 three times in the first half. Isaiah Davis ran for a 17-yard score, and Carlson made field goals of 28 and 30 yards.

Wilson caught seven passes for 114 yards.

Injuries

Jets: RT Morgan Moses injured his wrist during pregame warmups. He started, but was replaced during the game by Max Mitchell. … WR Irvin Charles left with a knee injury.

Dolphins: LT Terron Armstead left early after apparently tweaking the knee that sidelined him this week in practice. … WR Dee Eskridge (knee) and LB Anthony Walker Jr (hamstring) were also injured.

Up next

Jets: At Jacksonville next Sunday.

Dolphins: At Houston next Sunday.

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