Jonnu Smith's clutch OT catapults Dolphins to season-saving comeback win over Jets
Published in Football
MIAMI — Jonnu Smith had been so involved in the Miami Dolphins’ offense in recent weeks.
But over the first 60 minutes of Sunday’s game against the New York Jets at Hard Rock Stadium, Smith appeared to be missing.
No catches. One target.
It all changed in overtime though.
Smith made all three of his catches in the extra period including a 10-yard touchdown reception in traffic from Tua Tagovailoa to lift the Dolphins to a much-needed 32-26 comeback victory.
“I lost my voice out there going crazy,” Smith said. “It’s my faith that has me prepared for any moment. I didn’t blame the first, second, third quarter. Individually, it wasn’t the game I’ve been having the past couple of weeks but I didn’t blink at all. I’m just excited about continuing to have offensive success going forward and when my time comes, I just have to be there to make the play that counts.”
The Dolphins (6-7), who basically cannot afford another loss this season if they are to somehow sneak into the playoffs, are now tied with the Indianapolis Colts (6-7) and two games behind the Denver Broncos (8-5) for the final wild-card spot in the AFC.
The loss eliminated the Jets (3-10) from postseason contention for the 14th consecutive season.
It was the Dolphins’ first overtime game in the three seasons since Mike McDaniel became head coach and Miami’s first overtime win since Dec. 22, 2019 at home against the Cincinnati Bengals.
It took Miami erasing two fourth quarter deficits to make it happen.
And it took some Tagovailoa-to-Tyreek Hill magic to make that happen.
With the Dolphins winning the coin toss and gaining the first and would-be lone possession of overtime, Smith first caught a short pass from Tagovailoa and turned it into a 20-yard gain to the 50. Miami followed with basically the same play on which Smith picked up another 14 yards.
Four more plays put the Dolphins at the Jets’ 10, setting up Tagovailoa’s well-timed throw into Smith’s hands for the game-winning score.
“I think Jonnu came up and said something to Mike or had to have to get more included and that’s what happened,” Tagovailoa said. “He didn’t say anything during the game. Not seeing the ball can be discouraging. He never blinked and just took advantage of his opportunities.”
The Dolphins trailed 23-15 entering the fourth quarter and later 26-23 near the end of regulation.
Jason Sanders booted a 52-yard field goal to tie the game with seven seconds remaining to force overtime.
Sanders also made a 57-yard field goal earlier in the game and missed an extra point, but went 4 for 4 on field goals for the game.
It was the eighth time Tagovailoa has led a fourth quarter comeback in his career and second this season, having also brought Miami back in its season-opening win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was also his 10th game-winning drive overall.
Tagovailoa completed 33 of 47 passes for 331 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
“Tua has been playing lights out,” Hill said. “I don’t think he gets enough credit for the things that he does outside of making plays whether it’s getting us lined up right correctly. Me and him had a moment whenever I ran the wrong way he came to tell me exactly how I needed to run it. He’s a great leader for this team. We just gotta follow him and follow his standard.”
Reestablishing the Tagovailoa-to-Hill combination late in the game saved Miami’s season.
Facing a third-and-10 from their own 40, Tagovailoa found Hill open in a crease in the Jets’ secondary where he made a leaping catch for a first down to New York’s 42.
After Miami’s red zone issues seemed to cost them another score, the Dolphins went for it on fourth and goal from the 4. Tagovailoa found Hill just inside the goal line for a touchdown with 9:04 to go. He then connected with Jaylen Waddle for a 2-point conversion to knot the game at 23.
“Nobody batted an eye, nobody flinched. We just kept going to work,” Calais Campbell said. “Good team win. Perseverance. Playing together and found a way to win.”
Aaron Rodgers nearly derailed the Dolphins’ comeback, however, as he directed an 11-play, 63-yard drive capped by a 42-yard field goal by Anders Carlson.
Rodgers completed 27 of 39 passes and finished with a season-best 339 yards passing, one touchdown and no interceptions. Garrett Wilson (114 yards on seven catches) and Davante Adams (109 yards and a touchdown on nine catches) also both finished with 100 or more yards in a game for the first time this season.
Just over a week after he had a costly muffed punt in a loss at Green Bay, Malik Washington’s kickoff return to the Dolphins’ 46-yard line set Miami’s game-tying drive at the end of regulation in motion.
And so, the Dolphins held serve again, winning one of the games they needed to win against a sub-.500 — albeit AFC East division rival.
The win was crucial in that regard with Miami facing likely its toughest opponent remaining on its schedule next Sunday when they travel to Houston to face the 8-5 Texans, who were idle this week.
“The players chose to not give up in this game and when you do that and survive adversity, the thing on the other side, that’s the best stuff,” McDaniel said. “In life, easy is way overrated and not usually worth it.”
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