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The Miami Dolphins will advance to the AFC playoffs if they beat the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in their regular season final. But they won’t have FitzMagic to fall back on if rookie Tua Tagovailoa doesn’t play winning football at the quarterback.
Miami veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick tested positive for COVID-19, NFL Network reported Thursday afternoon, when the The dolphins put Fitzpatrick on reserve / COVID-19, making him unavailable for Sunday’s game.
The fifth player selected in the NFL Draft on April 23, Tagovailoa took over from Fitzpatrick in the roster in Game 7 of the season and is preparing for his ninth start in the NFL.
In two of those starts, Miami coach Brian Flores called Fitzpatrick to the bench with the Dolphins behind in the second half.
On Saturday, Fitzpatrick took over from the former Alabama All-American with 9:37 left and Miami behind the Las Vegas Raiders 16-13. In a game that featured four changes of header in the 3:37 final, the Dolphins earned a 26-25 victory.
Fitzpatrick completed 9 of 13 passes for 182 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. His 34-yard completion at Mack Hollins with Raiders defensive end Arden Key shooting the QB’s head through the face mask set up the winning basket with a second to go.
“I just felt we needed a spark,” Flores said in her post-match press conference. “Trying to win the game. If we have to go to a relief pitcher in the ninth, that’s what we’ll do. And then, Fitz, he’s always ready to go, and he came in and moved the ball for us.
But Flores also claimed Tagovailoa will start on Sunday despite Fitzpatrick’s heroism.
“I have a lot of confidence in Tua,” said Flores. “He’s done a lot of plays for us this year. He made plays today. We just felt like we needed a spark in the way the game was going, and Fitzy gave it to us. But we have great faith in Tua. He’s a young player. It develops. He is improving every day. He learns from his experiences. And he will be better next week.
Tagovailoa will need to be because instead of a 16-year NFL veteran, his replacement on Sunday will be Jake Rudock, who played three games and threw five assists for the Detroit Lions in 2017 for the sum of his experience in the NFL. and out of the Miami practice squad this season and signed with dolphins Thursday.
Miami and Buffalo are scheduled to kick off at noon CST on Sunday at Bills Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.
The Dolphins have made the playoffs once in the previous 11 seasons and twice in the past 18 seasons. They have four ways to advance to the playoffs on Sunday.
If Miami beats Buffalo, the Dolphins get a prime spot in the AFC playoffs. Even if it loses on Sunday, Miami will make the playoffs if the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns or Indianapolis Colts lose on Sunday. The Ravens face the Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Colts the Jacksonville Jaguars on the last Sunday of the 2020 regular season.
The Dolphins don’t plan on handing their playoff spell to another team.
“I would say to myself that there really is no additional pressure,” Tagovailoa said at his press conference on Wednesday. “I would say the expectations for myself are very high in terms of my performance and the way I’m going there and trying to lead the guys to victory. Obviously, last weekend I didn’t play at this level. It’s more that I know we have to go out there and get the job done. …
“This is the critical moment. Now is not the time to make mistakes and all that stuff. You really have to focus on what you need to do to help the team succeed and achieve victory. “
Buffalo will host a first-round match in the AFC playoffs as the AFC East champion. Buffalo will be the second seed unless the Steelers beat the Browns and the Bills lose to the Dolphins on Sunday.
Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin has previously announced that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will not play against Cleveland. Tomlin also signaled his intention to “post” other key players in the playoffs by keeping them out on Sunday.
The Bills may have a similar strategy in mind, but Buffalo coach Sean McDermott is holding on.
“These conversations took place today,” McDermott said at his press conference on Wednesday, “and we have a plan. I will keep this plan internal. …
“We could stay here all day honestly and discuss the pros and cons. At the end of the day, it’s all about trying to do what’s best for our football team and where we are at.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at Ark AMarkG1.
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