EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Dan Campbell looked every bit like a frustrated coach searching for answers.

The Miami Dolphins dropped their fourth in five games, the latest a 38-20 beat-down by the New York Jets on Sunday that was a major hit to their already faint playoff hopes.

“I see progress,” Campbell said. “After what happened today, I don’t have a leg to stand on. There’s nothing I can say that’s going to make that look better. We got whipped.”

Just as the Dolphins (4-7) did earlier in the season, when the Jets (6-5) beat them 27-14 in London last month – a defeat that coast then-coach Joe Philbin his job.

“We got whipped the first time and we got whipped the second time,” said Campbell, who dropped to 3-4 as interim coach. “Those are the facts.”

Ryan Fitzpatrick was 22 of 37 for 277 yards and four touchdowns, including two to Brandon Marshall, as the Jets gained some traction in the AFC wildcard race. New York had lost four of its previous five.

“We needed to right the ship,” Fitzpatrick said. “This was an important one for us.”

Fitzpatrick, making his 100th career start, also connected with Devin Smith, the rookie’s first NFL touchdown, and Eric Decker in New York’s fourth win in its past five meetings with Miami.

Ryan Tannehill threw TD passes to Jarvis Landry, Greg Jennings and DeVante Parker – like Smith, the first NFL TD for the rookie – in the second half when the Jets were well ahead. Tannehill was 33 of 58 for 351 yards.

“It’s hugely disappointing,” Tannehill said of Miami’s season. “I came in with such high expectations. I think our team came in with high expectations. To see the season go the way it’s been, it’s tough. It hurts. There is no way we should be sitting where we’re at, but we are. That’s on our shoulders.”

New York took control in the opening half. Miami’s best threat in the half ended in Tannehill’s poorly thrown attempt to Kenny Stills. Marcus Williams, a backup cornerback who leads the Jets with five interceptions, stepped in front of Stills and returned the pick 21 yards.

Williams, starting for the injured Darrelle Revis, sprained his knee on the play and did not return.

The pick set up New York’s first touchdown. Marshall made receptions of 20 and 16 yards before beating Brent Grimes, Miami’s best cover man, for a 17-yard score.

New York outdid that impressive 72- yard drive with a 92-yarder to end the first half. It was one of the Jets’ best possessions of the season, capped by Smith’s post pattern on which he got a step on Jamar Taylor.

Miami gained only 81 yards, 8 rushing, in the opening half, when it lost four players to injury: center Mike Pouncey (right foot), receiver Rishard Matthews (ribs/ chest), defensive tackles Earl Mitchell (calf) and C.J. Mosley (calf).

Matthews was injured on a hard hit from Calvin Pryor, who celebrated the play several yards away. Matthews, meanwhile, needed a few minutes to get up before walking gingerly to the sideline.

“That’s kind of a classless move to celebrate when a guy’s injured,” Tannehill said. “It was a good hit, a clean hit. But to celebrate when a guy’s down is kind of a classless move.”

Pryor took to Twitter a few hours after the game to respond to Tannehill: “Throw a better ball next time (at)ryantannehill1,” the safety wrote. “Teammate would’ve never got injured!!! Sorry if you felt I was classless at the moment.” He added that he was “definitely celebrating the great play I made. I would never celebrate someone getting injured during the game. C’mon now.”

The Dolphins finished with 12 yards on nine rushes, the fewest yards on the ground any Jets team has allowed. Jay Ajayi had 6 yards on three carries, Jarvis Landry had 4 yards on his lone attempt and Lamar Miller was held to 2 yards on five carries.

“We knew it was going to be tough to run it on these guys,” Campbell said.

The Dolphins finally converted a third down deep in the third quarter — the Jets had stopped them on 20 in a row, including New York’s victory at London. The conversion came as part of a touchdown drive sparked by Grimes’ 28-yard punt return. Landry’s 5-yard TD catch made it 21-7.

Landry finished with a career-high 13 catches for 165 yards.

“I would give it back for a win,” he said.

NOTES: DE Quinton Coples made his Dolphins debut against his former team after being claimed off waivers from the Jets on Tuesday. He had no tackles, but registered a quarterback hit. “I’m excited about the future,” said Coples, the Jets’ first-round draft pick in 2012. … Landry’s 15 rushing attempts are the most in a season by a Dolphins wide receiver, surpassing the previous high of 14 by Nat Moore in 1977.

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