Discovery time

It’s smart to find out sooner rather than later what Tagovailoa can bring to offense at QB

Ryan Fitzpatrick likely would have produced his best NFL season if the grizzled veteran stayed on the trajectory he was on with the Miami Dolphins before they benched him.

Chan Gailey’s offense was growing with Fitzpatrick as the conductor. His quick decision-making and savviness in the pocket was helping a young and potentially fragile offensive line grow up and develop muchneeded chemistry.

And the early leads Fitzpatrick and the offense provided in Miami’s three wins allowed Brian Flores’ 3-4 hybrid defensive scheme to thrive by turning up the volume on its aggressiveness while the team was in possession of double-digit advantages.

The Dolphins (3-3) were revving on all cylinders the past two games, two blowouts, and there’s little doubt in my mind that a healthy Fitzpatrick could keep this team at or around .500 as the team’s starter in the final 10 games.

And if all three phases of the team kept playing at a high level it was possible that Fitzpatrick could match, or exceed, the 10-win season he delivered the Jets in 2015. And maybe — just maybe — lead this franchise to his first playoff game as a starter.

But that’s the fantasyland view of what could have been and what might have happened if Fitzpatrick stayed at the helm.

It is the romanticized view of a relationship meant to be kept as a casual affair because in all honesty there was no future in Miami going steady with Fitzpatrick.

Say the best-case scenario

Turn to Kelly, Page 6

Charles Krupa | AP Dolphins quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick, left, and Tua Tagovailoa warm up before a game vs. New England.