Welcome back to the field, Fitztragic
Fitz(tragic) makes an appearance
There’s no mistakingwho Ryan Fitzpatrick is as an NFL starter after 16 seasons. His up-and down play sometimes giving us brilliance — that’s Fitzmagic — and then sometimes he’s a turnover waiting to happen — that’s Fitztragic. Fitztragic showed up against Seattle, and the two interceptions he threw gift-wrapped10 points to the Seahawks. Fitzpatrick finished the game completing 29-of-45 passes, throwing for 315 yards. But he threw no touchdowns and had two interceptions, which produced a 66.4 passer rating for the game. Fitzpatrick, who has a 83.5 passer rating after four games, did lead the team with 47 rushing yards on six carries, and scored the Dolphins’ only rushing touchdown.
Jackson on the mend?
Austin Jackson suffered a foot injury in the third quarter and the Dolphins were forced to play without the team’s starting left tackle in the fourth quarter. While the former USC standout the Dolphins selected with the 18th pick in the 2020NFLdraft, returned to the game briefly itwas JulienDavenport who finished the game at left tackle. If Jackson is sidelined by a foot injury, the Dolphins have some decisions to make because this might be their opportunity to see what Robert Hunt, the team’s second-round pick in April, has to offer. But thatwould requiremoving Jesse Davis from right to left tackle.
Texans are off to a horrible start, which benefitsMiami
When you are in a rebuilding franchise it is important to keep your eye on the win-loss column for draft-order purposes, and fortunately for Miami they have two first-round picks and two secondround picks in 2021. And one pair happens to belong to the winless
Houston Texans, who suffered a 31-23 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. If the Texans, who owe Miami their 2021 firstround pick and 2021 secondround pick for the trade that sent left tackle Laremy Tunsil and receiverKenny Stills toHouston last year for a treasure chest of draft picks and left tackle JulienDavenport, keep losing the Dolphins could possibly have four top-50 selections.
Seahawks’ two quick 75-yard touchdowndriveswere killers
In the second quarter, the game Dolphins scrambled to within, 10-9, on Jason Sanders’ third field goal. With 24 seconds left, it appeared Miami would trail by that slimmest of margins at the intermission. But, in a lightning-strike quartet of plays, Russell Wilson put Seattle into the end zone with three seconds left. A hugely damaging sequence. And then, in the middle of the fourth quarter, the Dolphins inched to within, 17-15. And then, like deja vu, Wilson started another possession at his 25. This time, he took only six plays, putting the Dolphins squarely behind the eight-ball whenthe Seattle passer connected with David Moore to make it a two-score game at, 24-15.
A rare game-management fumble by Flores
With Miami trailing, 7-0, Ryan Fitzpatrick completed a third-and-4 pass to Mike Gesicki for an apparent first-quarter first down. However, the officials errantly called Fitz over the line of scrimmage before the pass release. A passer’s entire body must be beyond the line of scrimmage at pass release for it to be illegal, and neither of Fitzpatrick’s feet were beyond the line. Wonder if the person in the coach box responsible for advising Brian Flores on challenges doesn’t know the rule, because it was stunning to not see a red flag on the field and, instead, it was a Dolphins punt.