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Raheem Mostert sets Dolphins single-season TD record in 30-0 shutout of Jets

Jets QB Zach Wilson leaves game with concussion
Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert scores TD vs. New York Jets during first half, Dec. 17, 2023
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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Raheem Mostert scored two more touchdowns to set Miami's single-season record with 20, Tua Tagovailoa threw for 224 yards and a score and the Dolphins shut out the New York Jets 30-0 on Sunday without star receiver Tyreek Hill.

Mostert walked into the end zone untouched on a 2-yard run that put AFC East-leading Miami (10-4) ahead 7-0 and gave the ninth-year running back his 17th rushing touchdown of the season — one more than Ricky Williams, who set the record in 2002. The score was also Mostert's 19th overall, which broke the team record of 18 set by Mark Clayton in 1984.

Tagovailoa was 21 of 24 with an 87.5% completion percentage and a 60-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle. He was replaced by Mike White with 8:32 remaining and the Dolphins up by 30.

A week after Zach Wilson threw for over 300 yards against Houston, the Jets' third-year quarterback's day was cut short when he left late in the second quarter with a concussion. New York (5-9) was shut out for the first time since losing 26-0 at Denver in Week 3 of the 2021 season.

The loss severely lessens the Jets' playoff chances — and the potential of Aaron Rodgers returning from a torn Achilles tendon for a postseason run. Rodgers has said one of the conditions of his comeback would be New York remaining in contention.

Hill, who entered Week 15 as the NFL's leading receiver, missed the first game of his Dolphins tenure after injuring his left ankle against the Tennessee Titans last Monday night. He has 1,542 yards receiving and was on pace for the first 2,000-yard receiving season in league history.

Hill's absence made room for a standout game from speedy third-year receiver Waddle, who had a season-high 142 yards on eight catches.

Waddle got behind Jets cornerback D.J. Reed for a 60-yard touchdown catch from Tagovailoa in the second quarter that put the Dolphins ahead 17-0. Mostert then gave the Dolphins a 24-point halftime lead with his second touchdown of the day, a 1-yard score in which he was again untouched.

Wilson had spent much of the afternoon running from a domineering Miami defensive front that sacked him four times, one of which resulted in a fumble that gave the Dolphins the ball at the Jets 1 and led to Mostert's first score.

Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb sacks New York Jets QB Zach Wilson to cause fumble, Dec. 17, 2023
Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb sacks New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson and causes a fumble Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Wilson was 4 of 11 with 26 yards before being replaced by Trevor Siemian, who was 14 of 26 with 110 yards and two interceptions to safety Brandon Jones.

Despite missing several defensive starters, the Dolphins limited the Jets to just 4 yards in the first half, the fewest yards allowed in the first half of a game since Dec. 13, 2015, when Denver limited the Raiders to minus-12 yards in the first half.

With the win, the Dolphins completed the season sweep of their division rivals less than a month after blowing out the Jets in Week 12, and bounced back from blowing a 14-point fourth-quarter lead Monday against the Titans.