Jets defense toyed with by Dolphins as unit whiffs in brutal loss

The Dolphins hadn’t held a single lead this season.Until they met the Jets defense.The previously winless Dolphins entered Sunday averaging just 14.0 points per game — tied with the Titans for fewest in the NFL.But they toyed with the Jets defense — particularly during the first half — during Gang Green’s 28-25 loss at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

Text with Brian Costello all season as he brings Sports+ subscribers the latest Jets intel from on the field and off.The Jets won the opening toss and deferred, but the Dolphins promptly ripped off a seven-play, 76-yard touchdown drive for their first lead of the season.

After the Jets tied it, the Dolphins responded with a 14-play, 60-yard touchdown drive for their second lead of the season — one they never relinquished.It helped them take a commanding 21-7 lead into halftime.The Dolphins hadn’t even reached 21 points in four of their first five full games.“Obviously, you don’t want to spot a team 21 points in the first half,” Demario Davis said.

“They did a great job of creating some really long drives.They made some good plays.

Shoutout to them and the plays that they made.It wasn’t necessarily anything we did wrong on the plays, but they just found a way to make a play in those situations.”The Jets defense was better in the second half, surrendering just one touchdown.

That one touchdown, though, was an unacceptable breakdown that hurt any chance of a comeback.They trailed 21-17 with under five minutes to go, needing a stop to get the ball back with a chance to take the lead.But Malik Willis completed a pass to a wide-open Caleb Douglas near the left sideline and Minkah Fitzpatrick — who had a chance to stop Douglas for a short gain — took a bad angle and completely whiffed on the tackle.Douglas went untouched the rest of the way for a 63-yard touchdown that gave the Dolphins a 28-17 lead with 4:44 left.“We were supposed to have someone in the flat,” Fitzpatrick said.

“It was ...