Stakes high for Dolphins and Browns
>> NEW YORK: The Miami Dolphins control their own destiny and can punch their ticket to the NFL play-offs with a win today, but they are going to have to do it without quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick tested positive for Covid19 on Thursday, leaving rookie Tua Tagovailoa to carry the quarterback load as they close out the regular season at Bills Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.
“It hurts. He’s a leader on our team. He brings energy,” safety Eric Rowe said of Fitzpatrick. “I’m sure it’s worse for him because he loves the game and no one wants to catch Covid.
“Covid is a real-deal thing whether you don’t have symptoms or you do. Just praying he doesn’t have symptoms or he didn’t pass it to his kids.”
Fitzpatrick had a spirited start to the season before losing his job to Tagovailoa who will try to lead Miami to their first postseason appearance in four years.
Tagovailoa, 6-2 in eight starts this season, is also completing 65.1 percent of his passes for 161.4 yards per game. Despite some recent struggles, including last week’s win over the Raiders when he was pulled, Dolphins coach Brian Flores had already planned to start Tagovailoa over Fitzpatrick.
“Tua has brought us a spark in many other games, but people forget that because they just remember the last thing,” Flores said. “I think Tua has played fairly well. People can disagree. We will agree to disagree in that case.”
Miami would clinch their first playoff berth since 2016 with a win. They could still make the play-offs with a loss but would need a loss from either the Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts or Baltimore Ravens.
The Bills have already clinched their first division title since 1995, but a win would lock up the No.2 seed in the AFC play-offs.
It remains to be seen whether the Bills decide to rest quarterback Josh Allen, who has 34 touchdown passes this season, breaking Jim Kelly’s previous franchise record.
“The records, this and that, it’s cool,” Allen said. “But the plan is to get us to 13-3 to give us a chance in the playoffs. The records don’t mean much if we can’t get it done.”
Elsewhere, before they closed their practice facility this week because of coronavirus issues, Cleveland appeared to be in solid shape to clinch a play-off spot because the Pittsburgh Steelers are resting many of their starters.
But the Browns were forced to shut down the facility for a second consecutive day on Thursday to conduct contact tracing as several more players have tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of their pivotal week 17 match-up.
The Steelers had already decided to sit quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and are expected to rest other key veterans.
With a win, Cleveland are in. Pittsburgh already knows they will be the No.2 or No.3 seed in the postseason, which led to coach Mike Tomlin deciding to sit his starters. Backup quarterback Mason Rudolph will get his first start of the year.
The Browns (10-5) can also still sneak into the play-offs with a loss, provided the right combination of other teams lose and/or win.
Play-off implications
“We’ve got to come ready to play like it’s a play-off game,” said Cleveland running back Kareem Hunt.
Elsewhere, play-off implications are also on the line when the Green Bay Packers visit the Chicago Bears to close out the regular season.
Green Bay (12-3) can clinch a firstround bye and the No.1 seed in the NFC with a win or a tie against the Bears.
The Packers, who already have clinched the NFC North, also can get a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the play-offs if the Seattle Seahawks lose or tie against the San Francisco 49ers.
Chicago can clinch a NFC play-off berth with a win over their longtime division rivals. AFP
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Miami at Buffalo, Baltimore at Cincinnati, Pittsburgh at Cleveland, Minnesota at Detroit, NY Jets at New England, Dallas at NY Giants, Atlanta at Tampa Bay, New Orleans at Carolina, Jacksonville at Indianapolis, Tennessee at Houston, Green Bay at Chicago, LA Chargers at Kansas City, Oakland Raiders at Denver, Arizona at LA Rams, Seattle at San Francisco, Washington at Philadelphia