Is it Tua Time in Miami?
On Thursday night, Ryan Fitzpatrick made it easier to say, “Not yet.”
With Tua Tagovailoa, the No. 5 pick from Alabama in the 2020 NFL Draft, serving as his backup, the 37-year-old Fitzpatrick led the Dolphins to their first victory of the season. In Miami’s 31-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Fitzpatrick completed his first 11 passes and the Dolphins scored touchdowns on their first three possessions.
In the game, Fitzpatrick completed 18-of-20 passes for 160 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions and ran for 38 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
Tagovailoa’s backup status kept the rookie QB on Miami’s sideline for the third consecutive game. Nine other players from Alabama high schools and colleges were at Thursday night’s game:
· Josh Allen (Abbeville) started at defensive end for the Jaguars. Allen recorded three quarterback hits, two tackles for loss and his first sack of the season. Allen recorded 10.5 sacks as a rookie in 2019.
· Dolphins fullback Chandler Cox (Auburn) played but did not record any stats.
· Dolphins defensive tackle Raekwon Davis (Alabama) made two tackles.
· Dolphins cornerback Tae Hayes (Decatur) played but not record any stats in his 2020 debut. Hayes played under a new NFL rule that allows a team to bring up two practice-squad players per game.
· Dolphins running back Jordan Howard (Gardendale, UAB) netted only 1 yard on three carries, but for the third straight game, he scored on a touchdown plunge. Howard reached the end zone from 1 yard out with 2:37 left in the first quarter as Miami took a 14-0 lead.
· Noah Igbinoghene (Hewitt-Trussville, Auburn) started at cornerback for the Dolphins. Igbinoghene made three tackles and broke up a pass in his first NFL start in the third game of his pro career.
· Bobby McCain (Oxford) started at safety for the Dolphins. McCain made three tackles.
· Cam Robinson (Alabama) started at left offensive tackle for the Jaguars. Robinson was disqualified from the game in the third quarter for making contact with an official.
SEE WHAT GOT CAM ROBINSON EJECTED ON THURSDAY NIGHT
· Jaguars safety Daniel Thomas (Lee-Montgomery, Auburn) played but did not record any stats.
The outcome left the Dolphins and Jaguars with 1-2 records. On Oct. 4, Miami hosts the Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville visits the Cincinnati Bengals.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
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