The Dolphins will not be going to the playoffs.
Miami entered the day with a strong chance of winning a Wild Card in the AFC, but they were shut out after a second quarter touchdown and lost 20-7 to a Jets team that will end the season ahead of the Dolphins in the AFC East. Reports out of New York are that Ryan was likely to return for the 2014 season before this game kicked off and the team did nothing to hurt his cause on Sunday.
The defense intercepted Ryan Tannehill three times -- two by first-round pick and frequent subject of Ryan praise Dee Milliner -- in the second half to keep the Dolphins off the scoreboard. The second pick came by safety Ed Reed off the hands of Dolphins wideout Marlon Moore, which may mark the final interception of a long career that often saw such balls pinball their way into his grasp.
Geno Smith avoided turnovers for the second straight week while running for a touchdown and completing 17-of-27 passes for 190 yards. The Jets played loose, Sheldon Richardson ran for a touchdown and Bilal Powell threw for a 30-yard completion to tight end Jeff Cumberland, and that made them a giant spoiler.
Things won’t be so loose around Miami after the offense scored seven points across the final eight quarters of the season against two division rivals that aren’t going to the playoffs. Tannehill wasn’t sacked on Sunday, but that didn’t make the offense click any better than it did in Buffalo last week and those three picks are killers. Losing wide receiver Brian Hartline to a knee injury early didn’t help, but that won’t excuse some harsh scrutiny for missing such a golden opportunity this season.