Dolphins defeat Jets 34-13 to extend AFC East lead, New York loses fourth straight: Full recap and analysis
Robert Saleh was once known for his fire. As the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator, that manifested itself in celebratory screams, pats on the helmet, claps, laughs and emphatic hugs. He brought that with him to the New York Jets too, though he throttled it back as a head coach. Every now and then, it comes out, like when he ran all the way to the end zone from his spot on the sideline in Week 1 to celebrate with returner Xavier Gipson on his game-winning punt return touchdown against the Buffalo Bills.
Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel saw that version of Saleh all the time in San Francisco, where they coached together, the two becoming close friends. They faced off Friday, and before halftime, McDaniel was the one celebrating, running along the sideline, smiling and laughing after an improbable touchdown. It was a 99-yard interception return off an end-of-half Hail Mary throw from Jets quarterback Tim Boyle. It was the first time anyone’s scored on an end-of-half interception off a Hail Mary since at least 2006, which is the first year ESPN started tracking those plays.
When it happened, Saleh stared blankly into space, chewing a piece of gum, in utter disbelief. He was flustered when Amazon’s sideline reporter came over to interview him on the way to the locker room. He could barely muster any words.
“Just unfortunate,” he said.
There’s not much for Saleh to celebrate these days, not like he used to. Any momentum the Jets felt like they gained from D.J. Reed’s interception, or the interception Jets cornerback Brandin Echols returned for a touchdown on the previous drive, evaporated. The only momentum the Jets have now is the kind carrying them in the wrong direction, back to the bottom of the AFC, a promise of six more weeks of misery ahead of them. For most of the second half, Saleh held that same blank stare, and his hands rarely left the front pocket on his hoodie. There wasn’t much clapping. Quickly, what was a 10-6 score before the Hail Mary pick six turned into a 20-6 blowout in the third quarter — and 34-13 loss to the Dolphins when the game ended. The Jets (4-7) have lost four games in a row while featuring an offense that, somehow, only seems to be getting worse.
