Miami Dolphins quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is reported to have suffered a broken finger in his team’s loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday afternoon. This, of course, is an interesting development for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who need the Dolphins to lose next week — among other things — to reach the playoffs.
Bridgewater hit his hand on a helmet while trying to throw a pass, which ended up being intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Patriots safety Kyle Dugger. The journeyman signal-caller tried to make the tackle but was stiff-armed to the ground.
Kyle Dugger has murdered Teddy Bridgewater with a stiff arm😱😱😱
pic.twitter.com/0hlLKHOsCZ— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 1, 2023
After starting off 8-3, the Dolphins have dropped five consecutive games — four by one possession. The opposite has gone for the Steelers, who have heated up down the stretch after a sluggish start to the campaign.
Miami has used three passers as usual starter Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater have dealt with injuries.
Tagovailoa remains in concussion protocol, and if both he and Bridgewater can’t go against the New York Jets next Sunday, rookie Skylar Thompson will be behind center for Miami.
Thompson was a seventh-round pick in last spring’s NFL Draft and has played in six games this season. He’s completed 40 of his 74 passes for 382 yards, with one touchdown and three picks. Against New England, he went 12-for-21 for 104 yards, one score, and one interception.
The Steelers got some help earlier in the day, including that Dolphins loss, and would obviously prefer the less-experienced Thompson to make the start for the Dolphins. Pittsburgh needs to win out, along with a Jets win over the Dolphins and a Buffalo victory over New England next week, to sneak into the postseason for the third year in a row.