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. 

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 …

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