EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Miami Dolphins needed to win a close game. No matter how ugly it might have been.

Caleb Sturgis’ third field goal, a 26-yarder with 1:57 left, completed a comeback by the Dolphins, who edged the New York Jets, 16-13, Monday night at MetLife Stadium.

The Dolphins (7-5) won and moved into a six-way tie for the second wild card in the AFC — Miami is actually the sixth and final seed at the moment thanks to tiebreaker advantages — despite spotting the Jets (2-10) a 10-0 first-half lead and allowing New York to rack up 277 rushing yards.

“We know that performance won’t win any other game the rest of the season,” Dolphins offensive lineman Mike Pouncey told the team’s postgame TV show.

The win was the first narrow one of the season for the Dolphins, whose first six victories came by an average margin of 19 points and whose three most recent losses were by a combined 10 points.

“I think we showed we can grind one out,” said Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who was 25-of-35 for 235 yards and an interception. “Up to this point we haven’t. Let some games slip at the end and we were just a few plays away. Tonight we stepped up and made those plays.”

The Dolphins appeared headed for another narrow defeat when the Jets grounded and pounded their way to a 10-3 halftime lead. New York ran the ball on 29 of 35 first-half plays, rushed for 210 yards and held the ball for 17:38.

Miami, meanwhile, went three-and-out twice and missed a field goal on its first three possessions.

“We didn’t play our best football and you have to give credit to the Jets,” Tannehill said. “They came out and played well, especially defensively.”

But Sturgis’ 43-yard field goal as time expired in the first half provided some momentum for the Dolphins, who opened the second half with an eight-play, 49-yard drive that Sturgis capped with a 44-yard field goal.

The Jets and Dolphins took turns trying to hand the game over throughout a five-series stretch spanning the third and fourth quarters in which they combined for five punts, one of which was partially blocked by Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan. But Tannehill was picked off on the next play.

The Dolphins finally took advantage early in the fourth quarter when a holding penalty on Jets gunner Saalim Hakim gave Miami a first down at the Jets’ 39-yard-line. Six plays later, running back Lamar Miller scored the game-tying touchdown.

Kicker Nick Folk missed a 45-yard field goal — his second miss of the game — on the Jets’ next possession. The Dolphins took over with 5:42 left and marched 57 yards in nine plays to set up Sturgis’ game-winner. The drive was highlighted by 18- and 17-yard completions from Tannehill to tight end Dion Sims.

The Jets got to their own 44-yard-line in the final minute, but quarterback Geno Smith’s pass over the middle glanced off the chest of tight end Jeff Cumberland and into the hands of Dolphins safety Reshad Jones.

“To score the field goal with two minutes to go and to get an interception to close the game out, you’re going to have to do that,” Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said. “We’re probably going to be in that situation again.”

Wide receiver Jarvis Landry had eight catches for 68 yards for the Dolphins while Miller rushed for 56 yards on 13 carries.

“Going forward, we have to play better from the start of the game to the end of the game,” Tannehill said.

The Jets tried to win with a turn-back-the-clock approach in which they had more ball carriers (eight) than Smith had completions (seven). Running back Chris Johnson led the way with 105 yards on 17 carries while wide receiver Greg Salas scored the Jets’ lone touchdown on a 20-yard end-around in the first quarter.

Smith threw for just 65 yards, 23 of which came on the final drive.

“It had zero to do with us having faith in our quarterback,” Jets head coach Rex Ryan said. “It had everything to do with us trying to win the game.”

What the Dolphins said:

“We’ve had six double-digit wins. We haven’t pulled one out. We’ve lost some of those close games. You’re going to have to win some of those games if you’re going to have a good season in the NFL. You’re going to be in these games.” — Coach Joe Philbin, following Miami’s first single-digit win of the season.

What the Jets said:

“I can’t believe we’re 2-10. It’s a joke.” — Coach Rex Ryan.

What we learned about the Dolphins:

1. Miami has what it takes to pull out a close win, at least against a bad team. The Dolphins blew fourth-quarter leads in each of their past three losses, but they completed a 10-point comeback against the Jets by scoring 10 fourth-quarter points in a 16-13 victory Monday. Of course, the 2-10 Jets helped. New York committed a penalty on a punt return to give Miami a short field on its game-tying touchdown drive. Jets kicker Nick Folk later missed a 45-yard field goal to set up the game-winning field goal by Dolphins kicker Caleb Sturgis. Beleaguered Jets quarterback Geno Smith got New York near midfield, only to throw an interception with 34 seconds left.

Attempting to outlast the Dolphins’ next two opponents — fellow wild-card contender Baltimore and likely AFC East champion New England — will be another task entirely. However, at least the Dolphins have a narrow victory on their resume.

“It was a critical game and a critical situation in the fourth quarter,” quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. “And both offense and defense stepped up and made those plays.”

2. The Dolphins’ inability to stop the run is officially a concern — especially with games against the Ravens and Patriots coming up. Miami was gashed for 277 yards on 49 carries Monday night. Part of that was the Jets doing everything they could to take the ball out of Smith’s hands, but the Jets did what they wanted on the ground eight days after the Denver Broncos racked up 201 yards against Miami.

Baltimore running back Justin Forsett ranks second in the AFC with 1,009 rushing yards and has recorded three consecutive 100-yard games, while New England coach Bill Belichick is a master at exploiting opponents’ weak rush defenses. The Dolphins need to fix things, and fast.

“We have to do a better job,” coach Joe Philbin said. “We’ll spend some time working on tackling during this week. It’s something that has to get better and has to improve.”

–WR Brian Hartline (knee) was injured in the first quarter of the Dolphins’ 16-13 win over the Jets on Monday night and did not return to the game. Hartline had one catch for 9 yards before departing. He ranks third on the Dolphins with 369 receiving yards and fourth with 32 catches.

–DE Cameron Wake survived an injury scare Monday night. He hurt his hip and briefly left the game in the fourth quarter of the Dolphins’ 16-13 win over the Jets. He returned on the next series. Wake recorded a sack in the third quarter, when his 8-yard takedown of Jets QB Geno Smith took New York out of field-goal range. Wake leads the Dolphins with 9.5 sacks this year, the fifth consecutive season in which he racked up at least 8.5 sacks.

–C Samson Satele sustained a rib injury with 4:37 left in the fourth quarter of the Dolphins’ 16-13 win over the Jets. However, Satele missed just two snaps before returning to the Dolphins and finishing out the drive that ended with a game-winning field goal by K Caleb Sturgis with 1:57 left. RG Mike Pouncey took the snaps at center while Satele was on the sideline.

–K Caleb Sturgis kicked three field goals Monday, including the game-winner with 1:57 left, to lead the Dolphins to a come-from-behind, 16-13 win over the Jets. It was the eighth time Sturgis kicked at least three field goals in his 28-game NFL career. He also missed a 43-yard attempt in the first quarter. Sturgis is 24-for-29 on field-goal tries this season, including 17-for-18 from inside 40 yards.

What we learned about the Jets:

1. The coaching staff has zero faith in quarterback Geno Smith. Head coach Rex Ryan actually said, with a straight face, that the Jets’ 1940s-esque game plan Monday was not a reflection of what the team thinks about Smith. However, the facts don’t lie: The Jets ran the ball 49 times on 64 snaps. On their three scoring drives, the Jets ran 19 times and passed just twice. Of Smith’s 13 pass attempts, five came during the final desperate drive that ended with Smith getting picked off by Dolphins safety Reshad Jones with 34 seconds left.

The approach almost worked — the Jets racked up 277 rushing yards — but it is absolutely unsustainable in the modern NFL. If the Jets believe this little in Smith, perhaps it is time to completely cut bait and allow third-stringer Matt Simms to start the final month of the season.

2. Teams that aren’t very good need to make up the difference on special teams. However, the Jets doomed themselves Monday with constant special teams misfires. Usually reliable kicker Nick Folk missed two field-goal attempts, including a 45-yarder with 5:42 left that gave the Dolphins the ball at their own 35-yard-line. Ten plays later, Dolphins kicker Caleb Sturgis booted the game-winning 26-yard field goal.

The Jets also committed four penalties on punt returns, including a holding call on wide receiver Saalim Hakim that allowed the Dolphins to begin their game-tying touchdown drive at the Jets’ 39-yard-line. Punter Ryan Quigley also had a punt blocked.

“We missed a couple of field goals that we don’t normally miss,” Ryan said. “The blocked punt — it just wasn’t our normal game on special teams. That’s probably the difference in this game.”

–TE Chris Pantale was called up from the practice squad Monday afternoon and was active for the Jets’ 16-13 loss to the Dolphins. Pantale was on the roster in place of TE Jace Amaro, who was out due to a concussion. It was the first NFL regular season game for Pantale, whom the Jets signed as an undrafted free agent out of Boston College in 2013.

–LB Antwan Barnes was released by the Jets on Monday, hours before the team’s 16-13 loss to the Dolphins. Barnes began the season on the physically unable to perform list while recovering from a torn ACL he sustained Oct. 7, 2013. He was activated Oct. 15. He had just five tackles in five games this season. Barnes played 10 games over two seasons for the Jets, who signed him to a three-year deal in March 2013.

–DE Muhammad Wilkerson missed a game for the first time in his four-year career Monday, sitting out the Jets’ 16-13 loss to the Dolphins due to a left toe injury. Wilkerson isn’t expected to need surgery for the injury, which he sustained during the Jets’ 38-3 loss to the Bills on Nov. 24, but his availability for the rest of the season is unknown. Entering play Monday, Wilkerson led the Jets with 4.5 sacks while adding three passes defensed and one forced fumble.

–TE Jace Amaro missed the Jets’ 16-13 loss to the Dolphins due to a concussion he sustained in New York’s 38-3 loss to the Bills on Nov. 24. Amaro didn’t practice at all in the week leading up to the Miami game. He has 34 catches for 291 yards and two touchdowns this season.