Unique plan at quarterback helps Tua Tagovailoa, Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Dolphins

So, Ryan Fitzpatrick comes off the bench the other day and beats the Raiders with this incredible no-look, Hail Mary throw down the sideline. Arden Key is ripping at his face mask, but he still gets the ball out to Mack Hollins for 34 yards, they add 15 for the penalty and just like that Miami kicks a game-winning field goal.

Now, Fitzpatrick is going right back to the bench with the Dolphins in a “win and you’re in the playoffs” game on Sunday at Buffalo.

Coach Brian Flores announced the day after the game that Tua Tagovailoa is the starter – and it really is unique how Flores has tried to handle the quarterback position.

It’s like a pitching staff. That’s how he described it. I can’t remember another scenario with a quarterback room where that happens without at least some drama, especially with a veteran quarterback and a young guy.

But the relationship I see is pretty special, and it’s very unique. From the Dolphins’ perspective, it also makes sense.

They have a good thing going when Tagovailoa is in there because he’ll be able to tuck the ball and run and get the yardage that they need without forcing the issue. He’s not going to try to make a lot of tight window throws. There were a couple of throws early in that Raiders game that he didn’t take a chance at, didn’t let it rip.

That’s not a bad thing – you don’t want a guy to be overly aggressive.

I think that’s a little bit of why the Dolphins don’t just say, “OK, Ryan, you’re going to take this thing from here on out.” We’ve all seen, and even Fitzpatrick is aware, that he’ll make some tight window throws and he’ll make some fantastic plays. But, then, he’ll also turn the ball over pushing the envelope a little bit and maybe put them in a bad position.

Dolphins playing off strengths of two QBs

Fitzpatrick will take those chances, but Flores knows he’ll also give them a chance or give them a spark when they need it.

He did that against the Raiders. He did that to me 16 years ago, 2005, when I was with the Texans and he was a rookie with the Rams.

It was 24-3 at halftime, and we were feeling really good. But Jamie Martin gets hurt and in comes this rookie, Ryan Fitzpatrick. He throws his first touchdown pass and we’re all like, “Who is this guy? Where is this guy from? The Ivy League? OK, all right …”

He climbs all the way back in it and in overtime throws a touchdown pass and they beat us at home.

That was the birth of FitzMagic.

Fast forward 16 years and I’m sitting on my couch watching the Raiders and the Dolphins and I see Fitzpatrick warming up on the sideline and I’m like, “Oh, man, it’s the same scenario.” I don’t know what the stats are on that – one quarterback at the beginning and ending of his career beats an older brother and a younger brother in an off-the-bench scenario – but it happened.

In the perfect world you’d like for Tagovailoa to be able to go through those scenarios and learn without watching someone else do it. You’d like for him to do it physically himself and mentally go through the gymnastics of it.

The birth of FitzMagic

But the Dolphins have a chance, and I think there are only so many opportunities that you get as a football team. Look at the Miami Dolphins from the Dan Marino era – he’s in the Super Bowl in his second year, and everyone is thinking they’re going to get a lot of chances.

That was the only time, and he played for two decades.

When you have a good team, when you have a good defensive unit and you have a chance to do something, you really have to put that development opportunity behind you.

I think deep down, Tagovailoa is fine with it. The situation reminds me of a conversation I had with Lane Kiffin. It was my sophomore year at Fresno State, right before I redshirted, and he was the wide receivers coach.

We sat down after spring football and I was upset that I wasn’t starting. I wanted to play, to get on the field, and Kiffin said, “If you really think about it and you look at it from a team perspective, would you put you on the field right now as a long-term guy?” When I looked at it that way, you know what, (Billy) Volek is a little bit more advanced than I am. I can make some plays, but I’m not where he is right now as far as being able to run the team.

I think Tagovailoa is in that situation. He knows he has the ability. He feels like he should be out there. But deep down he understands Fitzpatrick has a better grasp and better a chance to win in a two-minute situation.

That’s why there’s a lack of drama and why those guys are kind of pulling for each other. It’s a really good mix right now, and that’s rare. That’s very rare. But the fact that they have that, that’s great for them.

Jags again make for good fantasy matchup

It seems like I’m picking on the Jaguars, but they just have another tough matchup this week with Indianapolis. The Colts need to win to have a shot at the playoffs and I’d expect them to get after Jacksonville, especially after blowing a 17-point lead in losing last week to the Steelers. They have been able to rack up sacks against teams that struggle to protect the passer and they’re tied for fifth in the league with 15 interceptions.