Jaylen Waddle is at his best against the New York Jets

The Miami Dolphins didn’t have the league’s top receiver for Sunday but still toppled the New York Jets 30-0. With Tyreek Hill inactive due to an ankle injury, Jaylen Waddle showcased how much weight a penguin can carry.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa targetted Waddle nine times, completing eight attempts for 142 yards and a 60-yard touchdown reception that left Jets’ cornerback D.J. Reed in the dust. His 142 receiving yards were the second-most against New York’s offense this season, just shy of CeeDee Lamb’s 143 yards when the Dallas Cowboys handled the Jets 30-10 in Week 2.

Sunday’s performance marked the third time Waddle surpassed 100 receiving yards this season — and the second time he’s done it against the Jets. His 114 yards in Week 12’s 34-13 win was the fifth-most New York surrendered.

Waddle had a career day when the Dolphins needed it the most. Not only was Hill inactive, but only the Cleveland Browns allowed fewer passing yards per game than the Jets through 15 weeks.

“Enough doesn’t get talked about, is what Waddle has done today,” Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert said Sunday. “I know he’s been battling personally for himself because he feels like he’s not bringing enough to the table, and as you would expect, but for him to come out today with Tyreek out and handle business, I think he had, what, seven for like 143 or something like that and a touchdown, so that tells you the type of characters we have in this offense and on this team truthfully because the defensive side of the ball, they also stepped up.

“It’s hard to shut out a team, especially a divisional opponent like the Jets and we swept them this year. It just shows you the type of characters that we have in this locker room.”