Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Cutler might have played his last game for Miami
MIAMI GARDENS — Most likely quarterback Jay Cutler played his final game for the Miami Dolphins on Sunday against Buffalo. The 34-year-old, 12th-year player only played one series against the Bills before leaving the game in favor of backup quarterback David Fales.
Cutler, brought out of retirement in August to replace injured starter Ryan Tannehill, said last week he’d likely only play next season if he could be a starter and didn’t have to move.
Coach Adam Gase decided to insert Fales, the fourth-year player, on the game’s second series. That means Cutler likely ends his one-year Dolphins career 266 of 429 (62 percent) for 2,666 yards, 19 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and an 80.8 passer rating.
Cutler’s 6.23 yards per pass attempt was a career low, the 19 touchdowns were seventh-fewest of his career, the 14 interceptions were tied for fifth-most, and the 80.8 passer rating was 10th worst of his career.
Cutler’s final pass with Miami was almost an interception, but eventually fell incomplete. Cutler had a 6-8 record for the Dolphins.
“It’s something that we’re going to have to figure out,” Gase said. “It’s strange because that’s not an issue we had in training camp. It wasn’t something that we saw happening a lot to where working on. It was something that kind of came up during the season.
“It’s hard to get some of those calls — whether it’s an offensive holding, defensive holding at times — you don’t see those at practice. Then you get in a real game it happens. We have to do a better job of eliminating those penalties. Our technique is really what it’s going to come down to, and discipline of just staying focused on what they’re doing.”
“It’s hard to say here’s exactly what we’re going to do when you’re in the middle of the season, toward the end of the season you’re just focused on that.”