Guess who?

This mystery QB has become one of NFL's best

He has rushed for more yards this season than Jeff Garcia, Rich Gannon and Doug Flutie. He has a higher quarterback rating than Brian Griese, Brad Johnson and Jake Plummer. He has thrown fewer interceptions than Peyton Manning, Trent Green and Kurt Warner. He has a better completion percentage than Elvis Grbac, Jim Miller and Donovan McNabb.

Any guesses? Don't worry if his name doesn't come to you right away. I asked a few NFL executives this week and no one was able to identify our mystery quarterback on the first try.

I'm talking about the Dolphins' Jay Fiedler.

As I watched pregame warmups on the field Monday night, I talked with Boomer Esiason about another quarterback product from Long Island. Esiason admires Fiedler's mental toughness and his underrated physical abilities. Boomer told Fiedler before the game that if he could avoid the mistakes that come with trying to do too much, he would be ready to jump to the next level.

Fiedler very nearly never even made it to this level. I've followed Fiedler's career from his high school days and have come to know him very well. I had the chance to sign him when I was with the Jets; I regret the decision not to. Even when he couldn't find work in the NFL, Fiedler never stopped believing in himself.

Jay Fiedler is a winner. He knew it all along. Dave Wannstedt saw it in him, and now Dolphins fans are seeing it.

They see it in the quarterback draw Fiedler ran for a touchdown against the Colts Monday night -- his third rushing TD of the season. They see it in the beautiful touchdown passes he threw to Oronde Gadsden and Chris Chambers, beautifully placed throws on fade routes. Colts coach Jim Mora said after the game, "We covered the receivers as good as we could but the balls were in the perfect spot."

Fiedler showed all his dimensions against Indianapolis. He delivered a pass to Travis Minor with pinpoint accuracy on a seam route to set up a score on the Dolphins' first drive. He used his hard count effectively, and his quick count kept the Colts defense off balance. He sprinkled in some audibles to take advantage of what he saw.

He even led his team onto the field, charging ahead of the pack while carrying an American flag that the week before had been flying in the skies over Afghanistan. Do they let a guy do that if he's not a leader?

In an era when some of the game's best quarterbacks seem to have emerged out of nowhere, it's time to recognize that Fielder belongs on the short list of success stories, alongside Warner and Garcia, Tom Brady and Aaron Brooks. One offensive coordinator, who needs a quarterback in the worst way for next year, asked me, "Where can I find a guy like Fiedler?"

Maybe not in the first round of the draft. Maybe not in the high-priced free-agent market. Maybe he's playing Arena ball, or he's up in Canada or over in NFL Europe, playing in total obscurity.

Maybe, just maybe, there's a tough guy who's been cut before -- perhaps more than once. Maybe he's home coaching high school or college football, still harboring hope of reaching his NFL dream.

Pat Kirwan, who spent 12 years as a pro football coach, scout and personnel administrator, is an NFL analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.

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