It's interesting how sometimes a poor game by a backup quarterback can have a certain healing effect on a starter.
Following Matt Moore's disastrous performance in Thursday night's 40-0 shutout loss to the Baltimore Ravens, in which the career backup threw two pick-sixes and earned 176 total passing yards, a stay of forgiveness for Jay Cutler's early-season struggles was granted to the injured starter.
Cutler missed Thursday's game with a rib injury. Adam Gase said after the loss that if the veteran can return, he'll be in the starting lineup on Nov. 5 versus the Oakland Raiders.
Yeah, he's playing," Gase told reporters when asked about Cutler availability for Week 9. "He could have played [Thursday night]."
Cutler's struggles have been the focal point behind fans' ire this season. He's completing 62.8 percent of his passes, just 165.8 passing yards per game with seven TDs to five INTs, while taking 12 sacks in six games. Dolphins fans previously chanted for Moore to take over during the struggles.
After watching Moore fail to move the ball against the Ravens on Thursday night, those chants are likely kaput.
Moore, who has been a solid backup throughout his career, doesn't deserve full blame. The Dolphins couldn't run the ball, the offensive line struggled to protect or open holes, and the receiving corps couldn't separate downfield.
Gase has 10 days to try to solve the offensive ills that have plagued his team this season. He'll attempt to find a magic elixir while hoping Cutler's ribs are healed enough to play.
