Where Fitzpatrick places Tagovailoa and why a Dolphins Super Bowl run would surprise him

Former Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has displayed candor as an Amazon NFL studio analyst and did again on Monday, in a Zoom interview with a handful of reporters.

Fitzpatrick praised Tua Tagovailoa’s growth but doesn’t put him on the level of at least five other quarterbacks. And though he was effusive in praising the Dolphins, he said he would be surprised if Miami makes the Super Bowl.

His thoughts on several Dolphins issues:

▪ Would it shock Fitzpatrick if the Dolphins make the Super Bowl?

“I would be surprised to see Miami in the Super Bowl. The AFC is such a gauntlet. There are so many teams. With Joe Burrow out [because of a wrist injury], that changes the landscape a little bit. Between Kansas City and Baltimore, I don’t see them in the top two favorites. So I would be surprised” if the Dolphins make it to the Feb. 12 Super Bowl in Las Vegas.

▪ On whether Tagovailoa — who is second in the league in passer rating behind Brock Purdy — now ranks in the quarterback tier right behind the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes:

“I think you have that tier [headlined by] Mahomes. I think you throw Burrow in there [the top tier], Josh Allen. This year, even looking at Lamar [Jackson] with a nice resurgence. Jalen Hurts. It’s hard to do these lists because you always inevitably leave one or two of them off.

“Tua this year, just with the consistency of how he’s played, has elevated himself to that second tier where he’s not there yet with some of those guys. That’s going to come with playoff wins and other things. He’s been great all year, been really consistent.

“The biggest and best things for him is his ability to stay healthy this year, to avoid a lot of those big hits and dangerous hits. That’s been really fun to see. He has made that a point of emphasis. With all the lineup changes up front and the different people playing, he’s been getting the ball out quick this year, and he’s been really good because of it.”

▪ On why the Dolphins haven’t been as explosive against good defenses and what needs to change: “I thought getting [De’Von] Achane back was going to help. And he goes out early in that game [against Las Vegas with a knee injury].

“Their running game hasn’t been as efficient or explosive the last few weeks as it was at the beginning of the season. That’s reason No. 1. And then the funny thing; Tyreek [Hill] goes out for a little bit yesterday and all of a sudden they remember Jaylen Waddle is on the team and throw Waddle some balls. Spreading it around a little bit [is a goal]. They’re explosive.

“The first touchdown to Tyreek, I don’t know how many guys in the league can do that, catch that ball and split all those defenders.

“It’s an offense reliant on Tua’s timing and accuracy, which has been great. It’s reliant on the run after the catch, which they’ve been really good at. Those explosive runs just haven’t been there like they were at the beginning of season. Part of that is the shuffling of the offensive line and guys in and out. That will be something that will continue to help them as it gets colder and we get into December.”

▪ On the Dolphins’ defense: “They’re playing great right now. You look at Jalen Ramsey and him coming back and how much he has elevated that defense. Just his presence alone has elevated everybody’s game. At the beginning of the game, Xavien [Howard] was aggressive, playing well, came up and made a few nice tackles.

“It’s shocking to think of where we were in that Denver game when they put up 70 points, but now the defense has carried them a little bit the past few weeks. Getting [coordinator Vic] Fangio in the offseason was one of the biggest acquisitions they could have made, with the mind he has and the track record he has. This defense, as these pieces are getting healthy, as they’ve played together a little bit, it’s a great combination. And they’re really showing it the last few weeks.”

HOW TO WATCH FRIDAY’S GAME

Friday’s 3 p.m. Dolphins-at-Jets game is the NFL’s first game on the day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday. Amazon said it wanted a game in the retail capital of the United States to signify the event.

The game will be streamed on Amazon, and also be available to viewers in Miami-Fort Lauderdale on CBS-4, which won local bidding for the game.

The NFL does not permit over-the-air stations in West Palm Beach or Naples/Fort Myers to air games that are produced by streaming services Amazon, ESPN plus and Peacock.

Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit call the game.

Fitzpatrick is a member of the studio team.