At 2:56 p.m. CT on Sunday,Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrickbecame a cult hero in Kansas City, joining the likes of Len Dawson, George Brett and Patrick Mahomes.
OK, OK, not quite.
But make no mistake about it: If the Chiefs win the Super Bowl this season, Fitzpatricks game-winning touchdown throw against theNew England Patriots which came with24 seconds left and delivered the Dolphins a 27-24 upset victory will be a reason why. Thanks to the Dolphins victory, the Chiefs locked up the No. 2 seed in the AFC, plus a corresponding first-round bye that will be critical for one of the leagues most banged-up playoff teams.
Fitzpatrick, who may have cemented his case as the best journeyman quarterback of the past two decades, is indeed recognized in Kansas City as Fitzmagic, so much so thata few Chiefs fans started donating $14 apiece to his charityafter his Sunday heroics.
Tom Brady and the Patriots weren't pleased with their regular-season finale performance on Sunday in a defeat against the Dolphins. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
But one fanbase that should be worried about the carnage from the latest reincarnation of Fitzmagic is New Englands. Their Patriots, the Beasts of the AFC East, and dreams of a repeat title are in trouble.
And not just because they lost the game. But because of when they lost the game, to who, and how.
Not even Brady sugarcoated the loss.
Well, it was a great chance for us to not play next week, Brady said. So, we didnt take advantage of it. We just didnt play good enough and we all wish we would have done a better job. Certainly I do.
The Patriots offense was mid-grade against the Dolphins, just like it has been all season long. At this point, with the calendar only days away from turning to 2020, weve seen little to think it will change, as retired tight end Rob Gronkowskis absence has never been more apparent.
For 16 games, the Patriots have consistently lacked an answer when competent defenses take away Julian Edelman and James White. And the Patriots knew it.
Thats why they took a swing on radioactive All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown in September. Brady does not trust the other receivers, and with a beat-up offensive line in front of him, the Patriots running game hasnt established itself either, leaving New England outmanned against teams that can take away their two primary offensive threats (i.e. most good teams).
Plenty of times this season, the Patriots (12-4) have ridden their top-ranked defense and special teams to victory. But when either of those units falter even a tad, it often results in a loss, as we saw Sunday.
And even though the Patriots defense surrendered the game-winning score late, it wouldnt even have mattered if the Patriots offense had done its job against a spunky but still bad Miami defense.
Against the Dolphins, New England ran for 135 yards on 27 carries. Thats the average that Miamis 27th-ranked rushing defense has surrendered this year. If New England was actually good at running the ball, it would have rushed for more.
While White, a sensational receiver out of the backfield, caught a touchdown pass, he and Edelman combined for six catches and a measly 59 yards. Everyone else had 10 catches for 162 yards, with numerous missed opportunities against the leagues 28th-ranked pass defense.
And, yes, folks, those struggles even include Brady,the verifiable football G.O.A.T.Brady battled with inaccuracy all game, even when he wasnt pressured, as he completed 16 of 29 passes for 221 yards and an interception. Most of the completions were of the short variety and against a group that typically gives up 265 yards per game.
Miami's Tae Hayes breaks up a pass intended for New England's N'Keal Harry. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
This happened at home!
In December!
Against a divisional foe with a bad statistical pass defense!
In a game in which they were playing for a first-round bye!
By any measure, this is a brutal and unacceptable loss for New England, the type that portends to playoff failure. We almost never see this from the Bill Belichick Patriots. When its late in the season and they need to win a game, Belichicks Patriots almost always get the job done, especially when theyre facing an opponent they know intimately in Foxborough.
All hope is not lost. Although theyre now stuck playing on wild-card weekend, typically in the playoffs, you cant go wrong picking the team with the best coach-quarterback combination to go the whole way. For years, that has been Brady and Belichick, and after six rings, if any coach and quarterback combination deserves the benefit of the doubt, its those two.
However, the respect the Patriots have earned over the past two decades has led many including myself to dismiss this seasons warning signs.
If the Patriots end up representing the AFC in the Super Bowl for the fourth straight year, you can bet well all be referring to the latest dose of Fitzmagic as the wake-up call this offense needed to get there.
Weve got to dig deep this week weve got to look ourselves in the mirror and get ready to go, safety Devin McCourty said. Like I said earlier, no one feels sorry for the Patriots not getting a first-round bye in the playoffs. It is what it is. We talk about it each year, each team has their own journey and this is our journey to go out there next week, wild-card weekend and have an opportunity to continue to play. If we want to earn the right to play next week, weve got to go out there and play well.
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