Dolphins win
Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (above) celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass during the Dolphins’ 31-13 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Ryan Fitzpatrick handles the Jacksonville Jaguars as well as anyone in the NFL.
It doesn’t matter which uniform the journeyman quarterback is wearing, either.
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.
“Fitz is out of his mind,” tight end Mike 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.”
The lopsided outcome also gave Miami (1-2) its first double-digit victory in 39 games, ending the longest drought in the league. It was the first time the Dolphins have won a game by more than eight points since Dec. 3, 2017, a 35-9 victory over Denver.
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).
“It’s why I still play,” Fitzpatrick said. “I enjoy playing, especially when you’re having success. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world sometimes getting to go outside and play football with my friends.”
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. 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.
In short, they looked exactly like the team most outsiders expected them to be this season.
“As a group we just didn’t get it done,” said Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew, who completed 30 of 42 passes for 275 yards and two turnovers. “We had too many mistakes. That’s plain and simple.”
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.
Fitzpatrick was already in control by then. He scored a few plays later as Jacksonville allowed a touchdown on the game’s opening drive for the third straight week.
“We’ve got to do a better job of executing early on,” Jaguars Coach Doug Marrone said.