EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Miami Dolphins are now on their second-longest winning streak under coach Mike McDaniel — four games — thanks to Sunday’s 34-10 victory over the New York Jets.

And more wins could be coming, something that would keep the the Dolphins, who rushed for 241 yards Sunday, in the AFC wild-card playoff race.

The Dolphins (6-7) are among the NFL’s hottest teams, and they’re getting hot in November and December, which is the time of the year to start reeling off victories. Also, the Dolphins are still fairly healthy, which hasn’t been the trend of recent seasons. This is all setting up for an interesting finish, including a big game in next week’s Monday night showdown against the Steelers (7-6) in Pittsburgh.

By the way, MetLife Stadium was perhaps only 60% occupied as Jets fans have deserted their team this season.

Let’s review what we learned in Sunday’s win over the Jets:

Cold weather narrative dispelled a bit

It was 41 degrees at kickoff, making this the Dolphins’ first “cold weather” victory under coach Mike McDaniel. If you consider “cold weather” 45 degrees or below, the Dolphins are now 1-5 in cold weather games in the McDaniel-QB Tua Tagovailoa era. They lost at Buffalo (32-29) in the 2022 regular season, at Buffalo (34-31) in the 2022 playoffs, at Kansas City (26-7) in the 2023 playoffs, at Green Bay on Thanksgiving last season (30-17), and lost at the New York Jets (32-20) in last season’s finale.

It could be argued the Dolphins would have lost each of those games aside from last year’s Jets game even if it was played in South Florida in September.

The Dolphins also lost to Green Bay, 26-20, on Christmas Day in 2022 at Hard Rock Stadium when it was 46 degrees at kickoff. — Chris Perkins

December-January success on the way?

Don’t discount the value of Sunday’s win because it shows a late-season trend of losing might be turning. The Dolphins entered Sunday’s game 7-10 in December-January games in the McDaniel-Tua era, including 2-7 on the road. The victory over the Jets indicates the Dolphins might be showing something they haven’t shown in previous years.

Run-game success

The Dolphins, led by running back Jaylen Wright’s 107 yards rushing and complemented by De’Von Achane’s 92 yards, rushed for a season-best 241 yards, solidifying their reputation as a running offense. The Dolphins have committed to the run game recently and its paid off in the form of a balanced offense, better play-calling, strong offensive line production, a passing game that thrives off of play-action, and, most importantly, wins.

The Dolphins have rushed for more than 160 yards in each of their past four games, the first time that’s happened since 2002.

Special teams (punt team) struggles

The Dolphins punt team had a terrible day. The Jets had a 78-yard punt return touchdown, they gained 19 yards and a first down on a fake punt, and Dolphins punter Jake Bailey had a 19-yard punt to the Jets’ 23-yard line. Special teams didn’t have a bad day in other areas. For example, kicker Riley Patterson was money with 43- and 53-yard field goals and three extra points, and kickoff coverage was decent despite allowing a 38-yard return. But punt coverage was regrettable.

Run defense thrives

Miami’s run defense came through big time against Jets running back Breece Hall, holding him to 43 yards on 14 carries. The front seven, led by linebacker Jordyn Brooks, played an aggressive defensive game, holding the Jets to 65 yards rushing. The Dolphins entered the game ranked No. 29 in run defense at 137.5 yards allowed per game while the Jets were No. 7 in rushing offense at 133.7 yards per game.

Tua is so-so

Tagovailoa isn’t having a good season. But Miami’s quarterback started Sunday by completing his first eight passes. He ended with a decent performance, going 13 of 21 for 127 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a 94.7 passer rating.

Tagovailoa’s 14 interceptions entering the game were tied for a career worst that he established in 17 games in 2023, and his 85.9 passer rating this season is a career worst, eclipsing the 87.1 passer rating he posted as a rookie in 2020. Tagovailoa has looked choppy in recent games but he appeared fairly smooth Sunday.

Win coin toss, take ball, and get a victory

The Dolphins won the game-opening coin toss and took the ball Sunday. McDaniel has started taking the ball after winning the coin toss instead of deferring until the second half. The strategy is showing good benefits. Miami has won the coin toss seven times this season. It has taken the ball for the game-opening possession six times. It has scored on the game-opening possession four times — two touchdowns and two field goals. 

The Dolphins are 5-2 when they’ve won the coin toss and elected to receive.

The Dolphins won the coin toss Sunday and took the ball instead of deferring until the second half kickoff. Miami got a touchdown on its opening possession.

The Dolphins won the toss against Buffalo, elected to receive, and threw an interception on the first possession but won, 30-13.

The Dolphins won the toss against Baltimore, elected to receive, and got a 49-yard field goal on their opening possession in a 28-6 loss.

The Dolphins won the toss against Atlanta, elected to receive, and went three and out in a 34-10 victory.

The Dolphins won the toss against the Los Angeles Chargers, elected to receive and threw an interception in a 29-27 Chargers victory.

The Dolphins won the toss against the Jets in their first matchup of the season, elected to receive and got a 47-yard field goal in a 27-21 victory.

The Dolphins won the toss against New England and deferred. The Patriots scored a touchdown in their 33-27 victory.

Dolphins Deep Dive: ‘This is what you want to see’ . . . breaking down win over Jets | VIDEO

Rare red flag challenge success

Miami won a challenge Sunday, which doesn’t happen often in the McDaniel era. Linebacker Tyrel Dodson appeared to intercept a pass from by trapping the ball between his knees after an initial bobble. Referees ruled it incomplete. McDaniel challenged and won.

McDaniel is now 1-3 on challenges for the season and 5 for 22 (.227) in his career.

Achane still ballin’

Achane, who entered Sunday’s game with 1,034 yards rushing, fourth in the league, left in the second quarter with a rib injury. But he kept the good vibes going with a seven-carry, 92-yard performance that included one touchdown.

Achane’s seven rushing touchdowns are one away from his career best of eight established in his rookie season of 2023. His 11 touchdowns (seven rushing, four receiving) are one away from his career best of 12 (six rushing, six receiving) established last season.

Another 3 INTs, another TO battle won

Cornerbacks Rasul Douglas and Ethan Bonner and linebacker Tyrel Dodson had interceptions to extend the Dolphins’ streak of winning the turnover battles to four consecutive games, all wins. Miami, which won the turnover battle Sunday, 2-0, is now minus-1 in turnover margin for the season.

The Dolphins, who entered Sunday’s game tied for 22nd in the league in turnover margin at minus-4, were plus-one in the turnover battle against Buffalo, plus-two against Washington and plus-one against New Orleans.

For the first time in 48 seasons . . .

The Dolphins ran for at least 164 yards for the fourth game in a row. The last time that happened was in 1977. The franchise record such streak is 13, set in 1972-73. — Steve Svekis

This is not a misprint

With his 2.5 sacks against the Jets in Week 14, defensive tackle Zach Sieler, he of 20 sacks the past two seasons, saw, in his season sack total increase by 250%.

Savaiinaea helps set the tone immediately

Rookie left guard Jonah Savaiinaea pulled a vet move to react immediately to an encroachment by the Jets’ Jowon Briggs before the game’s first snap. It was so instantaneous, the referee assumed the Dolphin had false-started, but after a correction, Miami had a first-and-5. Three plays later, Savaiinaea climbed 3 yards upfield, and locked up Jets standout linebacker Quincy Williams to help pave the way on the 39-yard jaunt by De’Von Achane to the Jets’ 3. Then, there was his handling defensive tackle Harrison Phillips on Jaylen Wright’s first carry, a 7-yarder off left tackle. Then, he road-graded Briggs out to the left on Wright’s touchdown up the gut. Aaron Brewer was basically having his way, too, but the rookie had had such an embattled start to his career, it was worth mentioning in depth as the Dolphins poured it on with 239 rushing yards.

Yet another WHAT THE ….??? Play

The Dolphins were up 24-7 with less than a minute left in the first half against a Jets rookie quarterback who was obviously thousands of miles underwater mentally. On third down from Miami 10, the Dolphins called a flat pass, one that they have thrown as a lateral on numerous occasions (and questioned in this space). Tua Tagovailoa double-clutched and then, for some reason still threw it. The ball, possibly a lateral, was scooped up by the Jets and taken into the end zone. Replay review determined the ball had ever-so-slightly gone forward. What is possibly the thinking. The play call was dangerous, especially with De’Von Achane out of the game with an injury, but the decision, after a Tagovailoa double-pump, to toss toward inexperienced Jaylen Wright, was mind-blowing. The only way the Jets were going to score was on defense or special teams.

The Jets offensive ineptitude allowed the Dolphins to escape a loose ball-security game

There were two Tua passes that bounced off the hands of Jets defenders, an Ollie Gordon II fumble that he got back, plus the aforementioned near disaster on the double clutch flat pass to Jaylen Wright. On yet another occasion, late in the third quarter, Tagovailoa rolled left and threw a pass that was deflected downward by Jets defensive back Isaiah Oliver. And the Dolphins are lucky for that PBU that forced a punt, because another Jets DB, Jordan Clark, had basically run the route with Malik Washington, but was 4 yards underneath him and would have had an easy pick, and possibly a house call, with Tagovailoa as the unly unblocked Dolphin on that third of the field.

Jack Jones likely can’t wait till next Monday night

The Dolphins have played three nationally broadcast games this season, and Jones has been massive in all three. In the 27-21 victory over the New York Jets on Monday Night Football on, Sept. 29, Jets running back Braelon Allen was at the Miami 1, diving for a would-be touchdown that would have given the Jets a 7-3 lead. However Jones balled up his first and walloped the ball from Allen’s grasp, where it was received at the 4 by Minkah Fitzpatrick. Then, in the 30-13 Thursday night dispatch of the Buffalo Bills, Jones made two more major-plus plays, first providing the initial contact on running back James Cook on the Dolphins’ 25 (with Dante Trader officially getting the forced fumble), and then getting Josh Allen, also in Miami territory after a 15-yard run, to spit up the ball. Then, in the Madrid game against the Commanders, Jones basically called game with an interception of Marcus Mariota in overtime.

The 2026 opponents come into clearer focus

With the Dolphins having basically locked up third place in the AFC East, this would be their 2026 set of opponents as of the conclusion of NFL Week 13. Other than the home-and-home series against the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots and New York Jets, the Dolphins are scheduled for five other home games, with a Hard Rock Stadium rematch against Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers on tap along with a visit from Pat Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs then a pair of NFC North matchups against former Miami Dolphins assistant coaches as Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions and Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears visit. Additionally in Miami Gardens, there will be a game against the team from the AFC North who finishes in the same position as Miami does in the East. Entering Week 14, the Cincinnati Bengals are third. With it being an even-numbered year, the Dolphins will play six non-divisional games away from Hard Rock Stadium. Rounding out the AFC West and NFC North scheduling, the Dolphins will visit the Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers. The two variable opponents will be from the AFC South and NFC West. In those divisional third slots are the Houston Texans and the San Francisco 49ers.

On deck: At Pittsburgh Steelers, Acrisure Stadium, Monday, Dec. 15, 8:15 p.m.

Aaron Rodgers seemingly finally emerged from his Achilles recovery last year against the Dolphins. Rodgers had had a milquetoast 87.5 passer rating in his first 12 games of 2024, and then the Jets played in Miami Gardens, and then again at MetLife to end the season. In those games, Rodgers torched the Dolphins (50-75, 613 yards, 5 TD passes, 1 interception). … As of Sunday afternoon, weather.com forecast night-time temperature for Dec. 15 was 17 degrees.