I've said this before, but I'll probably say it again—the week in 2005 that Ryan Fitzpatrick, seventh rounder out of Harvard, came out to replace an injured Jamie Martin and went 19 for 30 with 310 yards and three touchdowns was the closest I've ever come to thinking that Mike Martz was an actual sorcerer. Warner, Bulger, Fitzpatrick, one after the other, all outstanding?
↵Of course, Fitzpatrick struggled as expected in the next three games he played, Martz got really excited about J.T. O'Sullivan, and that moment passed while Fitzpatrick turned into something of a journeyman. But I'd be remiss, as a fan of the various scrubs and rookies who briefly made Martz look brilliant, if I didn't mention the way Fitzpatrick's responded as the Buffalo Bills run him into the ground.
↵Forced to throw the ball at least 43 times each of the last three weeks, Fitzpatrick has gone 84 for 142 for 904 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions. For the worst team in football, and one whose rushing attack is mostly theoretical at this point—Fitzpatrick has more rushing yards on 15 fewer attempts than touted rookie C.J. Spiller—he's played admirably. And he's easier for out-of-town announcers to talk about than the average backup, because they can always mention he went to Harvard and almost perfecto'd the Wonderlic.