Dolphins want a team built on toughness, Hafley’s first win showed that identity taking shape

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Time was ticking.

Jeff Hafley’s Miami Dolphins clung to a three-point lead over the New York Jets, and running back Ollie Gordon was stopped on third-and-2 just before the two-minute warning.

It brought up an important fourth down decision for Hafley, and the first-year coach immediately went to his offensive line and asked what they wanted to do.

There wasn’t any doubt that they were going for it.

“Never will be,” left tackle Patrick Paul said. “And I mean, I think it was awesome he trusted in us.”

Malik Willis took the ball at the Jets 49. Gordon and fullback DJ Herman shoved him from behind, giving just enough of an initial push for the quarterback to fall forward ahead of the first down marker. Rookie left guard Kadyn Proctor emerged from the pile and threw a fist in the air to celebrate.

The Dolphins got their first win of the season, 28-25 at the Jets. And the first victory of the Hafley era fit the identity that he and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan have been stressing since they arrived in Miami of building a team around physicality and toughness.

“We had the two-minute warning, and I told everybody, I said, ‘I want to see the O-line,’” Hafley said Monday. "So I called the whole line over and I wanted to look them all in the eye. I said, ‘Guys, if we get the first down, we’re kneeling and we’re winning this game. So I can either punt the ball where we play defense or we’re going to go for it.’ I said, ‘what do you guys want to do?’

“And they looked at me and said, ‘Coach, we’re going for it.’ And I said, ‘OK, we better get it.’”

The game-sealing call was the Dolphins’ third successful fourth down conversion of the game.

One the first, Gordon leapt over the line of scrimmage to convert on fourth-and-1 at the Jets 2 on Miami's second offensive possession. Willis scrambled for a 5-yard gain on fourth-and-2 later in the first half.

Both conversions led to touchdowns, and the second score gave the Dolphins a 21-7 halftime lead.

“That needs to be our identity, right?" Hafley said. “When things get hard, are we going to go in the tank or are we going to step up and fight? And it’s like when you’re 0-5, you’re going to go fight or you’re just going to go back into a corner. That’s who we are, that’s who we need to be.”

The Dolphins had not led in any of their first five games until going up 7-0 on their opening drive on Willis' first of two touchdowns to rookie Caleb Douglas, who returned after an ankle injury sidelined him for three games.

They never trailed after that, and Hafley said it was important for his team made up of first- and second-year players to learn how to protect a lead.

“We have so many young guys that can do a bunch of stuff,” Willis said. “We’re trying to figure out who we actually are and what we want to be great at. I think we’re doing a great job figuring it out.”

The Dolphins entered Sunday with the league's ninth-best rushing offense and ran for more than 100 yards for the fifth straight game, which is the longest such streak in the NFL.

They've mostly accomplished that with Gordon, the physical second-year running back who has three straight games with 85-plus yards on the ground in place of injured starter De'Von Achane.

Part of Hafley's approach has been to eliminate the opponent's biggest receiving threat, and the Dolphins did well with that plan in limiting receiver Garrett Wilson to 26 yards on two catches. But Miami gave up a pair of touchdowns to tight end Mason Taylor, along with 115 yards receiving by Omar Cooper Jr.

Willis. Hafley called Sunday the best game of the season for Willis, who completed 14 of 21 passes for 208 yards, two passing touchdowns and one rushing score without a turnover. The QB was decisive, got the ball out quickly — two areas of struggle the first five games of the season — and made a few key throws in tight windows. He also rushed for 37 yards on eight carries, including the game-clinching gain on fourth down.

RB Jaylen Wright. He began the season as Achane's backup but seems to have fallen behind Gordon on the depth chart. Wright played eight offensive snaps on Sunday before leaving in the fourth with a quad injury.

S Dante Trader Jr. (shoulder) and CB JuJu Brents (stinger) left with injuries but returned.

3 — The number of touchdowns Miami scored in three trips to the red zone on Sunday.

The Dolphins host New England Sunday in their second straight divisional matchup.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Caleb Douglas (7) runs for a touchdown in the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II (0) carries against the New York Jets in the second half of an NFL football game in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor (74) celebrates a first down by the Dolphins late in the second half an NFL football game against the New York Jets in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley in the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis, left, and wide receiver Caleb Douglas (7) celebrate after the Dolphins defeated the New York Jets in an NFL football game in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

The WNBA has moved Game 6 of the Finals between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries to a 12:30 p.m. EDT tipoff Thursday at the home area of the Atlanta Hawks so that the NBA can keep its previously scheduled primetime contest that day.

The WNBA worked with the NBA to move the game to State Farm Arena, where Games 3 and 4 of the championship series were played.

The Hawks have a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers that night that couldn't be moved to another date or place. The only way they could make it work was to play the early afternoon game. The Hawks' game against the Cavaliers was moved back an hour.

“The sellout crowds and extraordinary atmosphere at State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4 were a tremendous success, and we’re excited to give thousands more fans the opportunity to experience Game 6 with a championship on the line,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Monday. “We thank the NBA, Dream, Valkyries, Hawks, State Farm Arena and USA Network for the collaboration and flexibility that made this move possible. We look forward to delivering another unforgettable Finals experience in Atlanta.”

Game 5 was set to start at 8 p.m. EDT Monday night at Chase Center in San Francisco.

Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase downplayed the difficulty of adjusting to the early tipoff for Game 6.

“What’s amazing is we’re always prepped for anything,” Nakase said. “So we’ve already scheduled. Made it really intentional. Main thing, rest and recover as best we can. We’ve had six games in 10 days during the regular season. So yeah, it’s really not affecting us. It’s just more we can control what we can control and that’s rest and recovery.”

Added Nakase when asked about remaining grounded through the series: “I just think we’re built for this. I think you can throw anything at our team, our organization, and we’re built for it. We like things that are hard for some reason. We love challenges.”

Because the State Farm Arena court will have to be changed for Thursday night’s Hawks game, the floor may have to be cleared quickly, even though there could be a celebration for a series-clinching win.

“We’re not really thinking about that right now,” Golden State guard Veronica Burton said. “Just focus on this game today and again, control what we can control. So right now it’s just Game 5 mentality.”

By playing Game 6 in the Hawks' arena, the Dream can have more than 17,000 fans. Their usual home, Gateway Center Arena in suburban College Park, Georgia, seats about 3,500.

Games 3 and 4 were sold out. Fans bought tickets quickly for Thursday's game, with more than 10,000 sold in the first 90 minutes they were on sale, according to a Dream spokesperson.

“Super excited that the game will be at State Farm,” Atlanta guard Jordin Canada said. “The crowd has shown up and showed out.”

Dream coach Karl Smesko said the only thing that would change with the early tip was that neither team would have a shootaround.

“I don’t care if we’re playing at 8 a.m., 10 p.m., midnight, we got a championship to win,” Dream guard Allisha Gray said.

It was the third time in the series that the WNBA made accommodations for the Dream to be able to play at the bigger arena. Game 3 was moved up a day to last Wednesday and Saturday’s contest started at 1 p.m. EDT so the Hawks could still host their home opener that night against Houston.

That game was moved back 30 minutes to allow more time for the arena staff to change the building over for the Hawks contest. Now there potentially could be a champion crowned that day so there will be more time between games.

“When we were done (changing the court after Game 4), I texted our CEO and I said, ‘Hey, if you need us to do it again, we’re ready to go,'” State Farm Arena chief facilities officer Amanda Mann said.

The NBA and WNBA explored options to keep the game in primetime. Both the Hawks and Cavaliers play Wednesday night, so they couldn't play earlier Thursday.

After the first two games of the series drew record ratings, it's likely that viewership will take a hit with the early start time. The game will tip at 9:30 a.m. local time in San Francisco.

While the league didn’t know until last Saturday that there would definitely be a Game 6 played in Atlanta, a contingency plan could have been put in place a long time ago by Engelbert and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. The eight playoff teams were known in early September, before the WNBA paused its season for the women's FIBA World Cup.

Part of the issue is that unlike the Valkyries, who are controlled by Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob, the Dream and Hawks are owned by different groups. Also, with NBC and USA Sports broadcasting the games this year, WNBA Finals games are on different nights then they have been in previous years.

In the past, games wouldn’t be played on a Monday night — like Game 5 will be — because of the NFL contract that ESPN has. They also wouldn’t be played on a Saturday, the day that Games 3 and 7 would be played, because of ESPN’s college football contracts.

AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed to this report.

See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

Streamers fall from the rafters following the Golden State Valkyries victory over the Atlanta Dream in Game 4 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Atlanta Dream, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (Dan Hernandez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)