Fiedler/Feeley similar to Dilfer/Hasselbeck?

[DolphinzD]

I was thinking about this after I read Tuesday Morning Quarterback's column at nfl.com. He wondered why Jay Fiedler and his 36-18 record as a starter are nailed to the bench while unproven A.J. Feeley was leading the offense. He also questioned the huge turnover in offensive personnel for a team that went 10-6 last year. Well, he obviously wasn't watching the offense last year, because it was necessary to make changes in several positions. Plus, Ricky's retirement wasn't exactly a choice the team made. But the main point I was thinking about was back in 2001/2002 when Mike Holmgren was trying to decide between Dilfer and Hasselbeck. I don't remember what the exact records were, but it seemed like every time Dilfer started, the Seahawks won, and every time Hasselbeck started, the Seahawks lost (included in there was a game in 2001 won by the Dolphins, which Hasselbeck started). Dilfer seemed to be doing "just enough" to win, and at that point in his career wasn't likely to get any better. However, Hasselbeck was younger and had more untapped potential. Holmgren finally ended up sticking to his guns and letting Hasselbeck play. Late in 2002 Hasselbeck began lighting it up, and had a great season last year. He hasn't put up stellar numbers yet this year but the Seahawks are 2-0, both wins on the road, after going 2-6 on the road in the regular season last year. I know there are plenty of differences in the situations (one of the biggest being that Holmgren is a better coach than Wanny) but I think the parallels can be made. Dilfer seemed to be a caretaker on offense, playing not to make mistakes (much like Fiedler) and although Dilfer won a Super Bowl with the Ravens, it was obviously because of the defense and Jamal Lewis running the ball. I think Feeley needs to remain the starter for the rest of the year unless he gets hurt or just begins to play horribly (ie, if he keeps throwing a pick returned for a TD every week). The Dolphins aren't going anywhere with Fiedler as the quarterback, but we don't yet know Feeley's full capabilities. I say roll the dice and see what happens.