The Miami Dolphins ended up winning the Tank Bowl V.1 this past Sunday! Although they actually lost a squeaker, the team gained headway toward gaining the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Per ESPNStatsInfo, last season the Arizona Cardinals had a 33% chance to get the first pick through Week 6. This year, the Fins have an 89% chance at the first pick through Week 6. With this in mind, let’s talk about who really won the first Tank Bowl — given that both teams went into the game winless and only one emerged that way.
Click on the audio below for a further discussion on the game.
The game was long and brutal to watch. The bright spot for the first quarter was the defense holding the Redskins to several three-and-outs. The Dolphins ended the half down 7-3 after a touchdown caught by Terry McLaurin of the Redskins. McLaurin had two touchdowns in the game and was a bright spot for the Redskins. The bad news for the Dolphins came when starting quarterback Josh Rosen was benched for Ryan Fitzpatrick. Rosen was 15-25 with 85-Yards and two interceptions. The young Californian was awful on Sunday and when Fitzpatrick came in, the Dolphins scored two touchdowns and almost won the game. It all came down to a two-point conversion that failed after a touchdown pass to DeVante Parker. Everything came full circle as the Dolphins moved to 0-5 and the Redskins to 1-5.
However, who really won? Right now the Redskins are 1-5 after firing their head coach. And the future at quarterback is unclear. In fact rookie phenom Dwayne Haskins wasn’t even mentioned during the broadcast on Sunday. They now move back in their draft position, and if the coaching staff believes more in Case Keenum than Haskins, Redskins fans should be worried. The team did, however, win the game and won’t join the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns as the only teams in NFL history to go 0-16.
Although I disagree with the Dolphins plan to #TankForTua, this was a moral victory. They improved their chances or garnering the number one pick and also looked competitive against a Redskins team that is better on paper. The losses will likely continue as the Dolphins head to Buffalo to face the Bills this Sunday. The Bills are 16.5 point favorites. In the long run, whether the first choice is Tua or any other quarterback, the Dolphins are in a better position right now. They lost the game, but won the tank bowl.
