Josh McCown’s interception in the final minute set up Cody Parkey’s game-winning 39-yard field goal to lift the Miami Dolphins to a 31-28 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon.
The Dolphins trailed by two touchdowns entering the fourth quarter but were led by backup quarterback Matt Moore, who took over for an injured Jay Cutler.
Wide receiver Kenny Stills recorded two touchdowns on the day to lead the Dolphins’ offense, both of them coming in the fourth quarter to overturn a 28-14 deficit.
The final minutes put a damper on what was a productive day for McCown. The Jets quarterback recorded four total touchdowns on the day, three of them through the air.
He came out slinging to start, ripping apart the Dolphins secondary on New York’s opening drive.
After his first completion of the day went for 31 yards, McCown capped off a 75-yard drive that took just 2:05 with a 29-yard connection with Jermaine Kearse.
Miami provided a quick answer on their ensuing drive, going 65 yards in 2:11. Cutler connected with Jarvis Landry for a four-yard score just moments after Stills made a circus-style 36-yard-catch that saw him bobble and secure possession while on his back.
The Jets took the lead late in the first when McCown hooked up with Robbie Anderson on an 18-yard slant route that left the Temple alum wide open before taking a seat in the first row at Camping World Stadium as a celebration.
There wasn’t much time to actually rest though as the Dolphins responded once again when Anthony Fasano’s four-yard score tied things up midway through the second quarter.
New York’s defense did manage to step up and make a huge play to help re-deliver Gang Green the lead. Taking over possession on their own five-yard line after a Jets punt, Cutler’s attempted pass was deflected and intercepted by the birthday boy Muhammad Wilkerson, who drew the ire of the New York media after some sluggish performances.
McCown collected his third score of the game when he snuck into the end zone on a one-yard keeper to give the Jets a seven-point halftime lead that looked like it was to grow after Cutler was forced to leave the game in the third with a chest injury, forcing Moore to come on in relief.
He was quickly picked off by Marcus Maye to set up the Jets’ fourth touchdown as McCown was given possession in Miami territory.
In eight plays, the Jets were up by a pair of touchdowns after he delivered his third passing touchdown of the afternoon, an easy 10-yard connection to a wide-open Austin Seferian-Jenkins.
Moore found his footing though and was able to pull one back early in the fourth quarter when he hooked up with Stills for a 28-yard score.
Five minutes later, the game was tied after he went to Stills again, who made an impressive one-handed catch in traffic to tie things up.
The offenses could do little in the final minutes as the Dolphins punted the ball away with 47 seconds left as the game seemed destined to go to overtime. But McCown’s first throw of the drive that began on the Jets 15-yard-line was intercepted by Brice McCain to set up Parkey’s winner.