When the Dolphins Backup Needs to Step Up
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For the sixth time in seven seasons, the Miami Dolphins will be forced to start their backup quarterback because of an injury.
This time it's veteran Teddy Bridgewater who will be getting the call when the Dolphins face the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in Week 5. He will start in place of Tua Tagovailoa, who will miss at least that game because of the concussion he sustained in the Thursday night game at Cincinnati.
Bridgewater will go where Jacoby Brissett, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brock Osweiler and Matt Moore have gone before, stepping in and starting for the Dolphins' injured starting quarterback.
Let's check out how that first start has played out:
2021 — Jacoby Brissett, at Las Vegas, Week 3
Brissett got the call after Tagovailoa sustained broke ribs in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills and turned in a performance that was much better than his final numbers (32-for-49, 215 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, 74.8 passer rating) in a 31-28 overtime loss.
Of course, the play that will be most remembered will be his completion to Jaylen Waddle that resulted in a safety when Waddle was tackled in the end zone, but that was more about a questionable play call and Waddle jumped for the ball when he might not have needed to than Brissett's own shortcomings there.
And, if we're being honest, had the officials called a defensive pass interference on a Brissett pass intended for Will Fuller V, the Dolphins just might have won that game.
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2020 — Ryan Fitzpatrick, at N.Y. Jets, Week 12
After Tua replaced Fitzpatrick after the bye earlier in the season, Fitzpatrick returned to the starting lineup after Tua sustained a thumb injury.
Ironically, his final start before being replaced had come against those same Jets at Hard Rock Stadium in a 24-0 victory.
He was efficient again in the rematch, completing 24 of 39 passes for 257 yards with two touchdowns and no picks with a 97.9 passer rating in another comfortable victory, 20-3.
2018 — Brock Osweiler, vs. Chicago, Week 6
As with Tua this year, Ryan Tannehill was injured in 2018 in a loss at Cincinnati, putting Osweiler into the starting lineup for a home game against the Bears.
Osweiler responded by passing for a career-high 380 yards — his second-highest total is 308 — in a 31-28 overtime victory.
Wide receiver Albert Wilson helped make Osweiler's job easier, turning two short passes into touchdowns of 43 and 75 yards.
2017 — Matt Moore, at Baltimore, Week 8
After an impressive performance in relief in Week 7 when he replaced Jay Cutler (ribs) to help the Dolphins beat the Jets in overtime, Moore faced a brutal challenge with a Thursday night road game at a place where the 2016 playoff-bound Dolphins had lost 38-6.
Let's just say things didn't go well.
The Dolphins offense was brutal in every aspect that night, and that included Moore going 25-for-44 for 176 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns, in a nightmarish 40-0 loss.
The Dolphins trailed 20-0 heading the fourth quarter before the two pick-sixes made it an ugly final score.
2016 — Matt Moore, at N.Y. Jets, Week 15
Now, that one worked out great!
Playing on a Saturday night six days after Ryan Tannehill went down with a knee injury in a last-second victory against Arizona, Moore threw four touchdown passes in a 34-13 victory that moved the Dolphins closer to a playoff berth they would secure the following week.
While posting a 126.2 passer rating in a performance that would earn him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, Moore had touchdown passes of 52 yards to Kenny Stills and 66 yards to Jarvis Landry.
