The Miami Dolphins defeated the New York Jets 34-13 on November 24, 2023 in the first ever NFL game played on Black Friday. The Dolphins put on a dominant performance, exposing the Jets’ weaknesses and snatching away any hopes New York had of staying competitive in the AFC East division.
First Half Highlights
The Dolphins set the tone early, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa finding newly acquired receiver Jeff Wilson Jr. for a 2-yard touchdown pass just over five minutes into the game. On the Jets’ next drive, Dolphins safety Jevon Holland jumped in front of a Mike White pass attempt and took it to the house for a pick six, outracing four Jets players en route to a 99-yard touchdown return.
Jevon Holland returns an interception 99 yards for a touchdown (Image credit: Getty Images)
The Dolphins led comfortably for the remainder of the first half. Running back Raheem Mostert plunged into the end zone twice in the second quarter, once from 1 yard out and again from 2 yards away. Mostert finished the half with 71 rushing yards on 12 attempts.
Just before halftime, the Jets mounted their best drive of the game, going 52 yards in 2:20. But the 13-play possession ended disappointingly with a missed 45-yard field goal attempt from Greg Zuerlein. The Dolphins took a 27-3 lead into the locker room after thirty minutes of play.
First Half Score
| Team | 1st Quarter | 2nd Quarter | Halftime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphins | 14 | 13 | 27 |
| Jets | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Second Half Highlights
The Dolphins kept their foot on the gas coming out of halftime. On their second drive of the third quarter, Tagovailoa threw a high pass to the back of the end zone which new receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. came down with for a touchdown.
The Jets finally reached the end zone early in the fourth quarter. Rookie running back Zonovan Knight capped off a 9-play, 75-yard drive by diving over the pile for a touchdown from 1 yard out. But New York failed to convert on the two-point conversion attempt.
With the game already decided, Dolphins rookie Skylar Thompson came in at quarterback to replace Tagovailoa. Neither team scored again as the clock wound down on Miami’s 34-13 victory.
Final Score
| Team | 1st Quarter | 2nd Quarter | 3rd Quarter | 4th Quarter | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphins | 14 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 34 |
| Jets | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 13 |
Game Statistics and Notable Performances
Passing:
- Tua Tagovailoa: 21/30, 195 yards, 2 TD
- Skylar Thompson: 2/2, 31 yards
- Mike White: 27/43, 295 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Rushing:
- Raheem Mostert: 16 carries, 71 yards, 2 TD
- Jeff Wilson Jr: 9 carries, 26 yards
- Zonovan Knight: 15 carries, 54 yards, 1 TD
Receiving:
- Jaylen Waddle: 4 catches, 43 yards
- Tyreek Hill: 7 catches, 46 yards
- Cedrick Wilson Jr: 3 catches, 37 yards, 1 TD
- Jeff Wilson Jr: 8 catches, 45 yards
Defense:
- Jevon Holland: 1 INT returned 99 yards for TD
- Melvin Ingram: 1 sack
On the Dolphins’ side, running back Raheem Mostert was the standout player. He averaged over 4 yards per carry against a stingy Jets front, punching in two short touchdown runs along the way.
Safety Jevon Holland made the highlight reel with a 99-yard interception return that broke open the game in the first quarter. It was tied for the longest pick six in NFL history. Holland read Jets quarterback Mike White perfectly and undercut the route before using his track star speed to race all the way into the end zone untouched.
What This Means Moving Forward
With the victory, the Dolphins improved their record to 8-3 to maintain pace in a tightly contested AFC playoff race. They currently occupy the 6th seed but are still battling with the Jets, Patriots and Chargers for postseason positioning. Miami matches up against the struggling Houston Texans in Week 12.
Meanwhile, the loss drops the Jets to 6-5 on the year. Their playoff hopes took a hit, though they still cling to the 7th and final Wild Card slot. New York will try to get back on track when they host the Chicago Bears next Sunday.
The Dolphins once again dominated their division rival, sweeping the 2022-23 season series versus New York. Miami has now won eight consecutive games against the Jets dating back to 2019.
By flexing their muscles on the national stage of the NFL’s first ever Black Friday broadcast, the Dolphins sent a message that they are legitimate contenders in the AFC this season. Led by an opportunistic defense and just enough playmaking on offense, Miami looks poised to break their five-year postseason drought.
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