A retired NFL quarterback remains pessimistic about his former team after the opening weekend. Ryan Fitzpatrick said last week that the Miami Dolphins could become the first team ever to go 0-17. He didn't back down after Sunday's 27-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Amazon Prime analyst reiterated that stance during a Zoom media session, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Fitzpatrick recalled his 2019 team, which went 5-11 before then-head coach Brian Flores accused owner Stephen Ross of encouraging him to tank for better draft positioning. "We lost the first four games by an average of 34 points a game.
We were not even given the chance to succeed. So 0-17 I feel is within reach, and part of it is because of who they’re playing. They’re playing the NFC North and AFC West, which I think is really important." They'll quickly experience that tough schedule with a Week 2 clash against the San Francisco 49ers and Week 3 matchup versus the Kansas City Chiefs.
Miami also has two games apiece against the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots, and Fitzpatrick thinks another one of his former AFC East squads, the New York Jets, looked better in a season-opening victory over the Tennessee Titans. A rebuilding roster and tough slate have Fitzpatrick wondering if the Dolphins could become the NFL's first winless team since the Cleveland Browns finished 0-16 in 2017. "I just started doing the calculations and thought, 'Gosh, this is a real possibility.' But the people that can get in the way of a tank are the coaches and the players," Fitzpatrick said.
"And that’s what happened in 2019. So I’m rooting for them to screw it up and get in the way of it. But I think 0-17 is (realistic)."
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