Moore is enough for Dolphins

Miami Dolphins quarterback Matt Moore (8) led a fourth-quarter comeback after starter Jay Cutler left the game with a broken rib, and the Dolphins defeated the New York Jets 31-28 Sunday.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Matt Moore (8) led a fourth-quarter comeback after starter Jay Cutler left the game with a broken rib, and the Dolphins defeated the New York Jets 31-28 Sunday.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Matt Moore replaced an injured Jay Cutler and threw two touchdown passes in the final 12 minutes to lead the Miami Dolphins to a comeback victory, their biggest since last week.

Rallies are becoming routine for the Dolphins, who pulled off a 31-28 victory over the New York Jets by erasing a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit.

Josh McCown threw three touchdown passes and ran for another for the Jets, but his interception in the final minute set up the winning field goal.

Bobby McCain stepped in front of a pass intended for Jermaine Kearse to give Miami the ball at the Jets 27 with 39 seconds left. Cody Parkey kicked a 39-yard field goal with 22 seconds to go for the Dolphins' first lead of the game.

It was the second consecutive comeback victory by the Dolphins (4-2), who overcame a 17-point deficit in the second half a week ago for an upset victory at Atlanta. They've won 12 games in a row when the margin is seven points or less. The NFL record is 14 consecutive games.

"It sounds like a broken record," said defensive end Cameron Wake, who had 2½ sacks. "It's a belief in one another. We've been showing that over and over and over."

Miami avenged a loss to the Jets (3-4) in Week 3.

Cutler left the game due to a chest injury with his team trailing 21-14. Cutler is believed to have suffered a cracked rib that will force him to miss at least one start, a person familiar with the situation said.

After the Jets took a two-touchdown lead, Moore threw scoring passes to Kenny Stills covering 28 and 2 yards to tie it.

"That was fun, man," said Moore, who played for the first time this year. "It's always fun to get a win, and then when you can contribute and have a comeback like that, it's fun for everybody."

McCown threw for touchdowns of 29 yards to Kearse, 17 yards to Robby Anderson and 10 yards to Austin Seferian-Jenkins. They came against a defense that hadn't allowed more than 20 points all season.

But the Jets were shut out over the final 16:41, and McCown's poor pass on first down from his own 15 with the score tied and 47 seconds left proved costly.

"I don't want to think about it. It makes me sick," McCown said. "To come out on the road and get going like we did and then finish it like that is frustrating."

There were signs at the end of a Jets meltdown. Anderson angrily spiked his helmet in the final seconds, and after the game, defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson could be heard shouting in the locker room behind closed doors.

Cutler threw for two touchdowns before going to the locker room after being hit by linebacker Jordan Jenkins early in the third quarter. Some Miami fans cheered when Moore entered the game to replace Cutler, who drew boos in his Dolphins home debut two weeks ago.

Moore's fifth pass was intercepted by Marcus Maye, whose 33-yard return set up the Jets' final score. Moore finished 13 for 21 for 188 yards.

Teammate Jarvis Landry had seven catches for 93 yards and a score. He gained 17 yards on a catch and run that included a leap over a defender, helping to fuel the comeback.

"Don't give up on us, baby," Landry said. "Tell people to stop giving up on us."

Sports on 10/23/2017

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