Matt Moore, Surging Defense Good Enough to Propel Dolphins to Playoff Berth

A competent backup quarterback is worth his weight in gold in a league where teams struggle to find legitimate starters. 

The Miami Dolphins' Matt Moore hadn't started since 2011, yet he shook off the rust to lead his team to a 34-13 victory Saturday over the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. 

The Dolphins improved to 9-5—their first winning campaign since 2008—and moved into the sixth and final playoff spot before the bulk of this weekend's docket takes place. 

The veteran signal-caller, coupled with an improved, sometimes ferocious defense, gives the Dolphins an inside track to the postseason. 

Moore stole the show against the Jets with a career-high four touchdown passes, finishing with 236 yards. The last time a Dolphins quarterback threw for a quartet of touchdowns against their division rival came 22 years ago when Dan Marino famously faked a spike and threw the game-winning touchdown. 

"You come out with a win, all is well," Moore said, per the Miami Herald's Armando Salguero. 

Eric Miller/Associated Press/Associated Press

The 10-year veteran wouldn't be on the field if Ryan Tannehill hadn't suffered a sprained ACL and MCL in Week 14 against the Arizona Cardinals.

Once pressed into action, Moore led a drive that resulted in the game-winning field goal. At that point, the Dolphins could calm down and realize they were in capable hands. 

How important was another starting opportunity for the 32-year-old? He didn't even miss a day of work leading up to Saturday's contest after his wife delivered their third child. 

"He was no drama," offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen said, per ESPN.com's James Walker. "All of a sudden, I saw him at 11, and he had the baby. ... There was no drama to it. He just went in, had the baby, back in the office, had his notebook at 11 o'clock."

This type of dedication is required to sit through four-plus years of preparation without the reward of starting a game. 

"On a short week, we tried to put this together as clean as possible," head coach Adam Gase said, per the Dolphins' Twitter feed. "Get him as comfortable as we could. ... I thought his command (impressed). He took some shots, too. He hit them. ... He kept his head." 

Moore's presence provides the Dolphins with two elements to keep them competitive until Tannehill can return or through the rest of their run. 

First, the veteran's skill set is different than Tannehill's. The former first-round pick is a rhythm passer who sprinkles in athleticism to add another dynamic. Moore is the opposite; he's a pocket passer who excels at pushing the ball downfield. 

NBC analyst Rodney Harrison mentioned during the telecast that the Dolphins coaching staff identified the veteran as the best deep passer they've ever been around. 

Furthermore, Moore's unflappable nature will only help a team that experienced turnover at center and continues to deal with a young starting running back and wide receiver corps. 

Both of these qualities were on display during his second touchdown toss to Kenny Stills, as the NFL's Twitter feed shows: 

Moore recognized the Jets' coverage didn't have a safety over the top, and he placed a perfect pass to Stills for a 52-yard score. 

His ability to stretch the field will create space for both running back Jay Ajayi and wide receiver Jarvis Landry. 

Ajayi is bound to face stacked boxes after he eclipsed 1,000 yards Saturday. The Boise State product is one of the league's most productive, physical runners, but he can't carry the load himself.

With defenses afraid to bring an extra safety into the box due to Moore's ability to burn them over the top, Ajayi should find more creases in the coming weeks. 

Plus, Landry will benefit from working over the middle of the field. His ability to make a defense pay after a slant pass was already on display against the Jets: 

New York kept a single-high safety to counteract Miami's early success, and it didn't matter. Landry had space to run. Moore found him and the wide receiver raced for a 66-yard score. 

Neither the running back nor the wide receiver is older than 24, and they've already achieved something special, per Brett Brecheisen of the team's official site:

As long as Moore makes a few plays, the team's dynamic duo can do the rest. The signal-caller played well, but he still faced the Jets, who are one of the league's worst teams. 

Meanwhile, the Dolphins defense looked like a different animal on prime time. 

Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh emerged as the monster he can be when his motor is running hot. The Jets' ramshackle offensive line couldn't handle Miami's $114 million man. 

Suh consistently worked his way into the Jets' backfield to disrupt plays or get into quarterback Bryce Petty's face. 

With the interior defender playing at such a high level, he makes life easier for defensive end Cameron Wake. Even at 34 years old and coming off an Achilles injury, Wake is still a force off the edge. 

His play Saturday turned into something the Dolphins faithful haven't seen for a decade, per Brecheisen: 

Miami's defense is built around its defensive front, but the second and third levels made plays, too. 

Linebacker Kiko Alonso sliced through blockers to make a crucial fourth-down stop when the outcome was still in question. Later, wide receiver-turned-cornerback Tony Lippett tracked a deep pass and snagged an impressive interception. 

With the complete performance, the Dolphins are now in the playoff driver's seat. However, it's important for the team to win next weekend against the Buffalo Bills before facing the New England Patriots. 

Al Bello/Getty Images

Miami doesn't want to be in a position where it needs a victory on the final weekend against the NFL's best team. However, the Dolphins hold a 1.5-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans. The Denver Broncos are 8-5, but their schedule is brutal with the Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders as their final opponents. 

Expectations are built around certain players and situations. 

Every quarterback is expected to produce or their team isn't likely to win. In Miami, Moore has the tools necessary to keep the Dolphins afloat with the help of a talented defensive front. 

When each of these assets play well—as they did against the Jets—the Dolphins look like the team to beat for the final playoff spot. 

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @brentsobleski.