With rookie QB starter, Miami may need miracle at Buffalo

With Tagovailoa, who remains in concussion protocol, the Dolphins faced long odds to beat the Bills on the road. With a rookie QB, the Dolphins may need a miracle. The Dolphins are a 13-point underdog, per OddsChecker.

Teddy Bridgewater, who is nursing an injured finger on his throwing hand, will serve as Thompson's backup. Bridgewater got only limited work in practice Wednesday.

Without Tagovailoa this season, the Dolphins are 1-3, with Thompson and Bridgewater starting two games each.

In an 11-6 win over the Jets in Week 18, Thompson passed for 152 yards and had a dreadful 14.8 QBR.

Miami's best hope Sunday may be to throw to its wideouts early and often.

According to Pro Football Focus, Thompson will have two top-10 wide receivers to target. Tyreek Hill's 92.1 PFF grade ranks first in the NFL among wide receivers, and Jaylen Waddle (83.9) ranks 10th.

The last time the NFL saw a rookie QB win a playoff game was in 2020 when Rams QB John Wolford attempted only six passes in a win over Seattle. He left the game early because of a neck injury.

Before that, you have to go back to 2012, when Russell Wilson of Seattle beat fellow rookie Robert Griffin III of Washington in the wild-card round.

Tagovailoa's numerous head injuries have raised concern among many former NFL players.

Griffin III, an analyst for ESPN weighed in following Tagovailoa's third head injury, saying, “You’ve got to put the person before the player. I’m more concerned about Tua and his longevity of life than I am about whether he’s going to play on Sunday."

As for Tagovailoa, he'll watch the Dolphins' first playoff game since 2016. What he sees may not be pretty.