That was Ficken close.
The Jets barely eked out a victory over the Dolphins, 22-21, on a 44-yard field goal from Sam Ficken as time expired at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
The field goal was set up by a controversial pass interference call against the Dolphins that came after an official’s replay review. The call against Miami cornerback Nik Needham gave the Jets a first down instead of a fourth down and Ficken made the game-winner four plays later.
The win keeps the Jets ahead of the Dolphins and out of the AFC East basement and avoids an embarrassing sweep to Miami, which registered its first win of the season over the Jets last month. It also was a bounce back win for the Jets, who lost to the previously winless Bengals last week. They are now 5-8 and have won four of their last five games despite a rash of injuries.
“It was a good win for our team, something we needed as a group, something to build off,” said wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who caught one of the Jets’ two touchdowns. “They beat us the first time and it was good to come out and get a W, not just for the Jets, but everybody around. Coach [Adam] Gase was with Miami before and that was big, I think.”
Gase seemed more relieved than celebratory after this game. He watched his team blow a 10-point lead as his offense went into a shell in the second half. Gase told the team after the game he was happier than he looked.
The Dolphins and Jets traded the lead four times in the fourth quarter on field goals. Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders made seven field goals in the game, his last came with 1:33 remaining and gave Miami a 21-19 lead.
Jets quarterback Sam Darnold connected with wide receiver Vyncint Smith on the first play of the ensuing drive for a 37-yard gain to the Miami 38. Darnold was sacked two plays later to move the ball back to the 46.
Then, the pivotal moment came. On third-and-18, Darnold threw a short pass to Smith and the ball fell incomplete. It looked like it would be fourth-and-18 for the Jets, but the officials stopped play to review the incompletion. Since it was inside two minutes, the review was initiated by the NFL and not on a challenge. NFL senior vice president Al Riveron reviewed it in New York and decided Needham committed pass interference, giving the Jets a first-and-10 at the 38.
“It was clear and obvious that the receiver did get significantly hindered prior to the ball getting there,” Riveron told a pool reporter.
The Dolphins (3-10) did not agree. Miami coach Brian Flores threw his headset in disgust and ran after the official after the game, yelling the call was “bull—-.” After the game, Flores would not comment on the call, but Needham did.
“Honestly, it’s just trash,” Needham said.
With the way their season has gone, the Jets will take a win however it comes. They jumped out to a 16-6 lead in the second quarter after touchdown passes from Darnold to Robby Anderson, who had his second straight 100-yard receiving game, and Thomas. The 14-yarder to Thomas was initially called incomplete and the overturned after a review, another call that irked the Dolphins.
The offense moved the ball well in the first half, even without Le’Veon Bell, who missed the game due to illness. Things stalled in the second half, though, with Darnold throwing an interception to end their first drive, then failing to convert a fourth-and-1 on their next drive and two more drives ending in punts.
Darnold finished the game 20 of 36 for 270 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
“We got in a really good rhythm in the first half,” Darnold said. “Second half, I thought I didn’t play as [well as I did in] the first half, to be quite honest. I know there are some things on tape that I am not going to like when I see it, but for me, I just have to learn from it, our guys have to learn and we will be better.”
The Jets defense played well considering it was missing three starters in the secondary, including star safety Jamal Adams. Gregg Williams’ group gave up 362 total yards but kept the Dolphins out of the end zone. Miami was 0-for-6 in the red zone and its only scores were Sanders’ seven field goals.
Sanders gave the Dolphins an 18-16 lead with 6:59 left in the game, their first lead since 3-0. The Jets answered with a 51-play drive that ended with a Ficken 42-yard field goal to take back the lead at 19-18.
Former Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick led Miami right back down the field. Fitzpatrick did not torch the Jets, but he kept his team in the game until the end with his arm and his legs (8 rushes for 65 yards). Sanders kicked a 37-yard field goal with 1:33 left to put Miami up 21-19 and set up the dramatic ending.
When Ficken’s final field goal sailed through the uprights, the Jets could celebrate. That celebration won’t last long, though, with their next game coming Thursday in Baltimore against the 11-2 Ravens.
“Nobody ever quit. Nobody started pointing fingers,” linebacker Jordan Jenkins said. “If someone messed up on a play, we got together and talked about it and got it corrected and went out there and kept playing ball. That was on special teams, defense and offense. We didn’t have guys finger pointing like we’ve had in the past.”
For more on the Jets, listen to the latest episode of the “Gang’s All Here” podcast: