Patrick Mahomes did not invent the exclusion pass, but made it famous, so when he says that someone may have launched the best exclusion pass ever, we should probably hear it and that’s exactly what he said on Saturday night, after Ryan Fitzpatrick made one of the most miraculous passes of the 2020 season during Miami’s 26-25 win over Las Vegas.
In one of the craziest games of the year, the Dolphins found themselves behind the Raiders 25-23 with just 19 seconds left. With the Dolphins sitting on their own 25-yard line and with no time limit, they knew they would need a miracle to win and that is what Fitzpatrick gave them.
With the game in play, Fitzpatrick fired a shotgun, went into a crowded pocket and then hurled a ball more than 30 meters from the field and the crazy part is that he was able to make the throw despite almost having his head ripped off by Arden Key Defense of the Raiders.
Despite the mask’s striking penalty, Fitzpatrick was still able to complete a 34-yard pass to Mack Hollins.
Although Mahomes did not see the play live, he got a highlight from it and here was his reaction:
If Mahomes considered it the best unseen pass of all time, then it is probably the best unseen pass of all time.
I’m guessing that Mahomes added smiley emojis because of how it all happened: Fitzpatrick definitely didn’t want to launch a pass without looking, but he had no choice after Key grabbed his mask.
To fully appreciate Fitzpatrick’s pitch, all you have to do is check how much your neck was bent when he started the ball-throwing process.
Here is a front view that almost makes the launch even better.
The 34-yard completion plus the 15-yard mask penalty ended up giving the Dolphins the ball on the Raiders’ 26-yard line, allowing Jason Sanders to kick a winning game field goal 44 yards away with just a second left .
After the game, Fitzpatrick admitted that he had no idea where the ball was going.
“When I played, I didn’t see it,” Fitzpatrick told the NFL Network after the victory, via Washington Post. “As you saw, my mask was basically stripped off. I didn’t know he took it. And everyone on the sideline was all excited … It was incredible.”
Even Tua Tagovailoa, who was sent off in the fourth period, went crazy after finishing.
Despite Fitzpatrick’s heroics and despite the fact that he threw more yards in a quarter of the action (182) than Tua did in three quarters (94), Dolphins coach Brian Flores insisted he will stay with Tua as the starter Team Game of the week 17 against Buffalo.
“If we go to a substitute pitcher in the ninth [inning], that’s what we’re going to do, “said Flores, via ESPN.” Fitz, he is always ready to go. … I have a lot of confidence in Yours. He made a lot of plays for us. He made plays today. We felt that we needed a spark. Fitzy gave us that. “
Fitzpatrick took the Dolphins to 13 points in the final 4:01 of the game, allowing Miami to steal the win and keep their hopes in the playoffs alive. The Dolphins currently control their own post-season fate and can guarantee a playoff spot in Week 17 if they win the Bills.