Fitzpatrick gives Miami best chance at picking up first win JOHN KRYK
Let’s suppose the Miami Dolphins really are tanking.
They’re 0-6, in what cynics would call a tooth-andnail reverse-battle with the Cincinnati Bengals, the Washington Redskins and perhaps the Atlanta Falcons to finish 32nd in the NFL — for the right to earn the No. 1 overall draft pick next April. But there are still 10 games to go this season.
And if you hadn’t noticed, the Dolphins nearly pulled out victories on each of the past two Sundays, against Washington and at Buffalo.
On Monday night the Dolphins try again for victory No. 1, at Pittsburgh (8:15 p.m. EDT, TSN via ESPN).
The player who gives them the best chance is their oldest, most veteran player: quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who could become the first NFL quarterback to start and win a game for eight different teams.
The other seven: the St. Louis Rams, Bengals, Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Dolphins head coach Brian Flores started Fitzpatrick at the beginning of the season, ostensibly only as a brief placeholder for second-year Josh Rosen.
But after taking over as starter in Week 3, Rosen performed particularly badly, to the extent Flores had little choice but to turn back to Fitzpatrick as starter last week.
Following last Sunday’s heartbreaker at Buffalo — in which Fitzpatrick played very well at times — Fitzpatrick eloquently and emotionally discussed his continuing passion for playing in this, his 15th NFL season. Even on a winless team. “I think I’m the perfect man for the job, because I’ve been through it,” the 36-year-old said, in reference to guiding the 2010 Bills through an 0-8 start.
“I have zero ego, and all I want to do is go out there and win. I want to bring an energy. I want what I’m doing out there to be infectious to other guys.”
Flores on Thursday was asked about Fitzpatrick’s veteran presence, and he raved about it.
“I would say ‘stabilizing’ is a good word. I’d say he’s definitely been that,” Flores said.
“He has a presence about himself and a poise that brings the group together, and it’s something we need right now. I think he’s brought that to the group.”
The fact the Steelers don’t have their own veteran quarterback — the much more accomplished Ben Roethlisberger — anymore this season means this game is far from a Pittsburgh lock.
His top replacement, Mason Rudolph, returns from the nasty concussion he suffered three weeks ago against Baltimore.
Devlin Hodges backs him up.
Rudolph, 24, is in his second NFL season.
He’ll play Monday night in just his fifth pro game.
He has started just three NFL games.
That’s something Fitzpatrick accomplished in 2005, long before he became a stabilizing veteran presence.