Big day for Fitzpatrick as Dolphins foil Jaguars
Prescott: Decision in Taylor case ‘disgusting’
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Different team, familiar result for Ryan Fitzpatrick against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Fitzpatrick accounted for three touchdowns and led Miami to a 31-13 victory Thursday night, becoming the first NFL quarterback to notch six wins over the same opponent with six teams.
The lopsided outcome also gave the Dolphins (1-2) their first double-digit victory in 39 games, ending the longest drought in the league.
Fitzpatrick completed his first 12 passes — a career high — as Miami scored touchdowns on its first three drives for the first time since 2011. He ended the night celebrating another victory over the Jaguars (1-2).
He improved to 6-2 as a starter versus Jacksonville, with wins coming with Cincinnati (2008), Buffalo (2012), Tennessee (2013), Houston (2014), the New York Jets (2015) and now Miami.
Fitzpatrick also ran for 39 yards and a score, his 37-year-old legs looking as fresh as any in Miami’s backfield.
He completed 18 of 20 passes — the last one to himself — for 160 yards and two touchdowns in his latest successful outing against the Jags, who made countless mistakes while failing to consistently move the chains and get off the field on third down. Fitzpatrick had TD passes to Preston Williams and tight end Mike Gesicki — his best throw of the night — in the first half and ran for a score in the third.
“Fitz is out of his mind,” Gesicki said. “He’s (37) and playing like he’s 23. You see the fun he has. After I scored, we came off the field chest bumping and screaming. It’s so much fun to play with him.”
Among the egregious errors by the Jaguars were:
Chris Conley dropped two passes that would have been first downs and was flagged for offensive pass interference in the third quarter. Gardner Minshew fumbled on the next play, leading to Miami’s fourth touchdown of
the night.
Minshew audibled to a pitch to the short side of the field on a third-and-5 play. He was sacked on the next play, ending a shot at making the game close at halftime.
Left tackle Cam Robinson was disqualified for making contact with an official following Minshew’s fumble.
Rookie cornerback CJ Henderson was on the wrong end of one of four pass interference calls against Jacksonville. He also failed to touch receiver Jakeem Grant down after Grant made a diving catch. Henderson clapped his hands as Grant jumped up and gained an extra 10 yards.
Adding injury to insult, the Jaguars may have lost linebacker Leon Jacobs for the season. Jacobs was carted off the field on the opening drive with a right knee injury.
PRESCOTT: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott didn’t hold back when asked for his reaction to the news that police officers in Louisville, Kentucky, were not charged in the death of Breonna Taylor.
On Wednesday, the Jefferson County grand jury chose only to indict one officer for “wanton endangerment” for blindly shooting 10 rounds from outside Taylor’s apartment. Two other officers on the scene were not charged.
“That is disgusting,” Prescott said. “I don’t understand that one at all. There are a lot of things in this country I don’t understand that we are looking at right now. That is simply unacceptable. Don’t understand an officer not being charged.”
The case has been another lightning rod in the renewed social justice movement that erupted in the wake of George Floyd’s May death in police custody in Minneapolis. Taylor was shot and killed by Louisville police during a no-knock raid on her apartment.
Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper said he was equally disappointed.
BRONCOS: Denver officially added quarterback Blake Bortles to its roster Thursday and the seventh-year vet joined them at practice.
With Drew Lock (shoulder) sidelined, Jeff Driskel will start Sunday when the Broncos (0-2) host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1). Brett Rypien is expected to be promoted from the practice squad to serve as Driskel’s backup this weekend. The Broncos made a slew of other moves Thursday, promoting safety P.J. Lock to their active roster and signing defensive lineman Deyon Sizer to their practice squad. Sizer, who played at Colorado State-Pueblo, was with the Broncos during training camp.
The Broncos also placed wide receiver Courtland Sutton (ACL), safety Mark Barron (hamstring), and defensive ends Dre’Mont Jones (knee) and DeMarcus Walker (calf) on injured reserve.