Let’s finish this nonsense about whether or not Teddy Bridgewater or Skylar Thompson would begin at quarterback for the Miami Dolphins earlier than it will get out of hand from a sure phase of followers.
If Tua Tagovailoa is out along with his concussion points, Bridgewater begins within the best resolution of coach Mike McDaniel’s week.
It’s a non-starter as a beginning subject. Bridgewater has performed in 75 video games, the bulk as a starter, with a 90.4 quarterback score. Thompson hasn’t performed an NFL snap.
A 12 months in the past, Bridgewater ranked twelfth within the league with a 94.9 score in Denver.
A 12 months in the past, Thompson was at Kansas State on his technique to being a seventh-round choose.
This can be a highway recreation, too, within the Meadowlands towards the New York Jets. One other issue.
Sufficient mentioned?
Bridgewater didn’t get a proposal to begin this 12 months, however no group has a greater insurance coverage coverage at quarterback. Now the Dolphins most likely have to make use of that coverage. Bridgewater accomplished 14 of 23 passes for 193 yards a landing and a pricey interception to finish the Dolphins’ possibilities in Cincinnati final Thursday. With every week’s work in apply because the starter, there’s no purpose he doesn’t provide the best choice.
Thompson seemed good in preseason. He may are available and pull a Bailey Zappe, if wanted. However this phase of followers pushing for him to begin are overthinking this case.
2. The Dolphins open as 3-point favorites towards the New York Jets on Sunday. For those who noticed the Jets’ 24-20 win towards Pittsburgh, you noticed why. You additionally perceive with the Jets and Pittsburgh as two of the subsequent three opponents how the schedule lightens up. Throw in Minnesota at dwelling and Detroit and Chicago and that is as gentle a stretch as the primary month was heavy.
3. The one concern with the Jets is that they’re in some way 2-2 and confirmed some late-game magic in each wins. Down two touchdowns with two minutes to go towards Cleveland, they received. Down 10 factors within the fourth quarter at Pittsburgh, they received. Their late-game recoveries rival the Dolphins wins towards Baltimore and Buffalo. Zach Wilson, too, went 5-for-5 on the Jets’ profitable drive in his first begin of the 12 months.
4. We’re practically to the quarter-pole of the NFL season, that means it’s too early for the playoff spots to imply something, but it surely’s not too early to look anyhow. The shocker is the AFC has three groups with profitable data: Miami, Kansas Metropolis and Buffalo. They’re all 3-1. Eight groups are 2-2. Once more, there’s rather a lot to kind out with 12 video games to go. However right here’s the playoff seeding at present:
1. Dolphins 3-1. An amazing first month, other than Tua Tagovailoa’s accidents.
2. Kansas Metropolis 3-1. Patrick Mahomes simply put up 41 factors on the NFL’s beforehand greatest protection in Tampa Bay — essentially the most Tampa Bay gave up in three seasons.
3. Jacksonville 2-2. They’re for actual. Doug Pedersen is displaying the issue was City Meyer.
4. Cleveland 2-2. Ugly loss to Atlanta on Sunday.
5. Buffalo 2-2. They’re one of the best group within the league.
6. Cincinnati 2-2. After an 0-2 begin, they’re trying like final 12 months’s group.
7. Tennessee 2-2. In his eleventh 12 months, Ryan Tannehill has 5 TDs, three interceptions and a 93.8 score.
5. Quote of the week from NBC’s Rodney Harrison, who estimates he had at the very least 20 concussions in his profession, relating to the Tagovailoa state of affairs: “I'd get hit, your entire stadium is spinning round, and I'd return into the sport. It’s not value it. And I'd implore these younger males: Don’t return on that soccer discipline in the event you get harm, as a result of I don’t need them to need to really feel like me and so many different former gamers that needed to cope with concussions. Whether or not it’s melancholy, nervousness, paranoia, damaged relationships, not having the ability to talk together with your partner and issues like that, it’s rather a lot. CTE takes you to a darkish place, and I would like these gamers to know, it’s not value it. Please maintain your self. Don’t depend upon the NFL. Don’t depend upon anyone. If one thing’s improper together with your head, report it.” That, of us, is why such an enormous deal is made about Tagovailoa’s head trauma.
6. New England is on the backside of the AFC East and beginning their third-string quarterback, Zappe. However don’t go to a full sleep on them. The Patriots performed their greatest recreation of the 12 months Sunday in dropping at Inexperienced Bay. Aaron Rodgers vs. Bailey Zappe? Inexperienced Bay wanted time beyond regulation to win 30-27. Zappe took over for Brian Hoyer, who left the sport after getting a kick to the top and going into concussion protocol. Starter Mac Jones is out some time with an ankle harm. Belichick has gone from chasing Don Shula’s win file with Tom Brady to chasing him with Zappe, a rookie out of Western Kentucky. Zappe was high-quality for a third-string rookie coming off the bench, too, finishing 10 of 15 passes for 99 yards and a landing.
7. Has Raheem Mostert proven he’s the Dolphins main again? He has 39 carries for 147 yards, a 3.8-yard common. Edmonds has 28 carries for 85 yards, a 3.0-yard common? Mostert additionally has seven first downs to Edmonds’ three. Receiving? Mostert has eight catches for 58 yards (8.5-yard common) and Edmonds 9 for 56 (9.3-yard common).
8. It seemed dumb on first look, and it may have all kinds of AFC East and playoff implications come December. However I’m with Baltimore coach John Harbaugh going for it on fourth-and-goal from the two with 4 minutes left in a tie recreation towards Buffalo. Put your self in his headset. Buffalo has scored 4 of its earlier 5 possessions. Harbaugh has an opportunity to go up a landing or make Buffalo take over at its 2-yard line. It couldn’t have turned out a lot worse. Lamar Jackson threw an interception in the long run zone to offer Buffalo the ball on the 20-yard line. Buffalo’s Josh Allen then did precisely what Harbaugh feared: His offense drove the ball 77 yards downfield, stopping solely to expire the clock so the 21-yard discipline purpose wins it. Harbaugh caught a number of grief. And nobody would have mentioned something if he’d kicked the sector purpose and Buffalo turned that 77-yard discipline purpose drive into an 80-yard landing drive because it simply may have. However he made the odd-looking proper resolution that didn’t work out.
9. Stat of Week 4: Baltimore is the second group in NFL historical past to guide video games (plural) by at the very least 17 factors of their first 4 video games of a season and lose, in keeping with Elias Sports activities. Sunday it was towards Buffalo. The primary one was when the Dolphins got here from 21 factors down within the fourth quarter. The opposite group to descend to that was Minnesota in 2011. Does Jackson put out this tweet to Buffalo that he did to the Dolphins?
10. It’s odd to see stern, old-school Belichick with a man-crush on Aaron Rodgers. The coach who retains to himself talked for a very long time with Rodgers earlier than and after Sunday’s recreation. Then got here his evaluation of the loss: “Ultimately, Rodgers was simply too good. He made some throws that solely Rodgers could make. We had fairly good protection on a few of these and he was simply too sensible, too good, too correct. Ultimately he received us.”
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