The Miami Dolphins were gifted with a dose of FitzMagic after Christmas.
Veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick replaced Tua Tagovailoa on Saturday in the fourth quarter and led his team to a remarkable game-winning drive to secure a 26-25 decision with the Las Vegas Raiders, helping Miami’s chances of making the playoffs were significantly enlarged.
The play of the game trailed the Dolphins 25-23 with only 19 seconds to go. Fitzpatrick fell back and made a Hail Mary attempt down the left sideline, where he found an open receiver in Mack Hollins for a 34 yards completion. It was a redemption for Hollins, who dropped a possible touchdown just minutes earlier.
“For want of a better term,” said Hollins, “I live for those —.”
“In that case, you’re really raising a prayer,” Fitzpatrick said. I didn’t know at first that it was complete. My face mask was pulled and my head was ripped. I turned to make sure they saw the face mask. [right tackle] Jesse Davis or [running back] Myles Gaskin had to tell me it was completed. ‘
Raider’s defensive lineman Arden Key was the one to shred Fitzpatrick’s face mask and add a crucial 15-yard penalty to the game. The yardage set the Dolphins up for a 44-yard-winning field goal by Jason Sanders.
It was a wild last five minutes that included Fitzpatrick’s go-ahead, 59-yard touchdown pass to Gaskin, a Raiders go-ahead field goal with 19 seconds to go, aided by a very questionable pass interference, and finally Fitzpatrick’s late swell .
Fitzpatrick added that it was the first time in his 16-year NFL career during the fourth quarter that he had to go to the locker room bathroom. When he returned, Dolphins coach Brian Flores told Fitzpatrick he was going to the game. After a handful of rollercoaster sets for both teams, Fitzpatrick made what he called the best game of his career with the throw to Hollins.
There was also a unique decision by the Raiders to slide Josh Jacobs to the 1-yard line to score a field goal, instead of running back across the goal line for a touchdown.
The 10-5 Dolphins now have a 62% chance of making the playoffs, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index, and their path is very simple: winning at the Buffalo Bills this weekend and tied for the first post-season since 2016 .
This marks the second time this season that Tagovailoa has been benched in the fourth quarter of a tight game looking for an offensive boost. The other was the week 11 loss at the Denver Broncos. Fitzpatrick just missed out on a comeback in that match and ended up pulling the incredible trick on Saturday.
Despite the theatrical events in Las Vegas, Flores said Tagovailoa will be the starter against the Bills next weekend. Flores said he went to Fitzpatrick on Saturday because the team “needed a spark to win the game,” but the rookie will still be No. 1 on the depth chart.
“If we have to go to an auxiliary pitcher in the ninth [inning]That’s what we’ll do, “said Flores.” Fitz, he’s always ready to go. … I have a lot of faith in Tua. He has made many plays for us. He made plays today. We just felt like we needed a spark. Fitzy gave us that.
“Tua is a young player. He is developing. He is improving daily. He learns from these experiences. He will get better next week.”
Fitzpatrick threw for 182 yards in the fourth quarter, tied for his most yards in a final frame (2013 Week 15 vs. Arizona Cardinals).
Fitzpatrick managed to complete more passes thrown more than 5 meters than Tagovailoa, who struggled mightily with those same throws. Fitzpatrick went 5 of 6 for 154 yards and a touchdown, while Tagovailoa went 3 of 7 for 35 yards. Fitzpatrick averaged 9.8 yards per attempt to 4.2 for Tagovailoa.
Tagovailoa, 22, said after the win that it is a learning experience and that he knows he needs to take more chances on the field, especially when the game is on the line. It’s a continuous balance for him in taking what the defense gives him and making the splash plays like Fitzpatrick did.
“It wasn’t really that shocking what happened. They don’t call him FitzMagic for nothing,” said Tagovailoa. “This is the second time [getting benched has] has happened. It’s just something you have to learn from. When Fitz gets there, I’m gonna support him. “
Flores has consistently counted on Fitzpatrick, 38, as a seasoned poet when needed in a tricky situation, seemingly with little concern about what he’s doing in the lineup with Tagovailoa’s mindset. Both quarterbacks have said they will do whatever the staff think gives Miami the best chance of winning. The team supports them both, and there doesn’t seem to be any controversy over who will be the quarterback, although players often notice the magical feeling when Fitzpatrick enters the lineup.
“Different energy. Everyone knows Fitz, it’s a different type of man. It’s a change,” Gaskin said. “Probably the most fun game I’ve ever played in my life.”
In the end, the moves Flores made paid off and could have saved the Dolphins’ playoff odds. The questions will come about Tagovailoa in the long term and about Fitzpatrick in the short term, but Flores remains focused on what he believes is best for the team with his choices right now.
“There are a lot of people in that locker room trying to win. That’s paramount to the decisions I’m going to make here today and move forward while I’m here,” said Flores. “Tua is a resilient kid. He’s a tough guy. He’s glad Fitzy got in there and we won the game because he’s a selfless, team-first man; that’s why he’s here.”