New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins: Full Report Card Grades for New York
The New York Jets ended their disappointing 2014 season on a high note with an entertaining 37-24 road victory over the Miami Dolphins.
New York made some mistakes on defense and missed some opportunities on the offensive side of the ball, but it still scored the final 23 points of the game to claim their fourth win of the year.
Gang Green ended the Rex Ryan era positively, and it had some terrific performances from the likes of Geno Smith, Eric Decker and David Harris.
Click through for complete grades and analysis for each Jets positional unit in the inspired divisional victory.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Geno Smith didn't just have a great day on Sunday. He had a record-setting one.
Smith recovered from an early fumble to post one of the best quarterback outings in franchise history.
He completed 20 of 25 passes for 358 passes and three touchdowns, along with no interceptions.
The second-year signal-caller got good protection from his offensive line, but it was his poise and superb decision-making that led to his historic day.
Smith wasn't afraid to throw deep, but he didn't make any stupid passes either.
The West Virginia product may not be a franchise quarterback, but he has given the organization a lot to think about this offseason with his performance in the past month or so.
Grade: A+
Running Back
2 of 10
The Jets ran the ball at will the last time these two teams met, but that wasn't the case on Sunday.
New York struggled to control the game on the ground, and Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory failed to find much running room.
Ivory managed just 29 yards on 13 carries, while Johnson totaled just 20 on 10 touches. Additionally, neither player contributed in the passing game at all.
Ivory and Johnson had trouble even getting past the line of scrimmage, and both have slowed down in recent weeks.
Luckily, the lack of a running game was made up for by the success of Geno Smith.
Grade: D
Wide Receiver/Tight End
3 of 10
Without Percy Harvin, the receiving corps was expected to struggle against a solid Miami secondary.
However, it was quite the opposite.
Eric Decker put together the first 200-yard receiving game for New York since 1972, as he caught 10 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown.
Decker was responsible for several game-changing plays. He dominated Brent Grimes for much of the contest, and he finally lived up to his contract.
Chris Owusu also stepped up in a major way with the absence of Harvin, as he caught one pass for 36 yards and ran 23 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.
Zach Sudfeld and Jace Amaro also contributed at the tight end position, as they both picked up several big first downs to move the chains.
Grade: A+
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Offensive Line
4 of 10
The offensive line didn't control the game in the rushing department, but it gave Geno Smith plenty of time to make plays in the pocket.
The Dolphins managed just one sack and one quarterback hit in the game, as the line did a tremendous job against a solid Miami pass rush.
D'Brickashaw Ferguson was especially impressive. Matched up with Pro Bowler Cameron Wake, Ferguson protected his quarterback's blind side tremendously, and he kept Smith upright all game long.
The line has been inconsistent throughout the year, and changes certainly need to be made this offseason, but it was terrific in Week 17.
Grade: A-
Defensive Line
5 of 10
The defensive line continues to not just be the team's best unit, but also one of the best units in the NFL.
Muhammad Wilkerson returned with a vengeance, recording half a sack, a tackle for loss, a pass deflection and four quarterback hits.
Sheldon Richardson, fresh off of a Pro Bowl snub, was also fantastic. He recorded a sack and a quarterback hit, while also providing consistent pressure in the pocket.
The line did struggle to contain Miami's rushing attack, allowing Lamar Miller to run for 178 yards and a touchdown on just 19 carries.
However, the majority of those yards came on a 97-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Grade: B+
Linebacker
6 of 10
The defensive line was great, but the linebacker corps stole the day.
In addition to providing decent run support, the middle of the defense kept Ryan Tannehill off-balanced all game long with its superb pass rush.
David Harris, playing in perhaps his last game as a Jet, was an absolute beast. The veteran Michigan product totaled nine tackles, 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, a pass deflection and two quarterback hits.
Harris is getting up there in age, but he deserves a long-term extension.
Quinton Coples, playing at outside linebacker, was a monster off the edge, recording two sacks and another two quarterback hits.
The Jets defense just made plays on Sunday, and the linebacker corps was at the center of it.
Grade: A
Secondary
7 of 10
The secondary was far from terrific, as it allowed several big passing plays.
However, it stepped up late in the game and prevented Ryan Tannehill and Co. from scoring in the final quarter-and-a-half.
The secondary was certainly aided by the ever-imposing presence of the pass rush, but it did manage to contain Miami's receivers.
The back end of the defense is in need of a serious makeover this offseason, but it did improve toward the end of the year.
Grade: C
Special Teams
8 of 10
Nick Folk began the game by hitting the upright on a long field goal, but he bounced back to nail three straight attempts in the second half.
Folk hasn't been as reliable as last year, but he's still a more than capable kicker and one of the team's cornerstones.
Chris Owusu also contributed on special teams, as he returned the opening kickoff of the second half 87 yards into the red zone.
Although the Jets were unable to turn the big return into points, it was still refreshing to see an impactful return for Gang Green.
Grade: B+
Coaching
9 of 10
Rex Ryan's team came to play on Sunday, and a lot of its effort has to be credited to Ryan himself.
The Jets have had nothing to play for for weeks, but they have continued to play hard, inspired football.
Ryan called several terrific blitz schemes, and he did a great job masking his defense's deficiencies.
On offense, Marty Mornhinweg finally opened up the playbook and allowed Geno Smith to air it out.
Mornhinweg has been too conservative this year, but he finally let loose and allowed his quarterback to make plays.
Too little too late.
Grade: A-
Cumulative Grade
10 of 10
| Positional Unit | Grade |
| QB | A+ |
| RB | D+ |
| WR/TE | A+ |
| OL | A- |
| DL | B+ |
| LB | A |
| Secondary | C |
| Special Teams | B+ |
| Coaching | A - |
Cumulative Grade: A-
The Jets ended a trying season on a high note, beating a solid divisional opponent on the road.
Geno Smith showed flashes of a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback, Eric Decker emerged as a No. 1 receiver with several big plays, and the front seven continued to dominate opposing offenses.
It'll be a long and eventful offseason in the Big Apple, and drastic changes to the coaching staff and the roster are coming.
For one day, however, the Jets looked like a great team.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
