The Dolphins and Falcons clashed on Friday night at Hard Rock Stadium in the preseason opener for both teams.
With it being the first preseason game, both teams played almost exclusively backup players and rookies. However, that's not to say there wasn't some noteworthy moments in the first half, when the reserves and rookies higher up on the depth chart typically get more reps.
Here are my notes from the first half.
First quarter observations:
- Siran Neal had a nice tackle on the opening kickoff of the game. Brought down the returner by himself in the open field.
- LB Grayson Murphy broke free off the edge of the first defensive play for a three-yard loss. Quick and aggressive play.
- Ethan Bonner had solid coverage on a third down fade to force a three and out on the opening series. Solid job all around by the defense to start.
- Malik Washington muffed the ensuing punt and ran backwards for a 10-yard loss. Can't subtract yards in the NFL. Guys are too fast to escape them laterally and backwards.
- River Cracraft had the football ripped away from him, but fortunately for him it rolled out of bounds.
- Jake Bailey's punt - after Skylar Thompson overthrew Braylon Sanders on a third-down go route - was very short. Maybe around 33 yards or so to my eyes. Not good. Surprising the Dolphins haven't brought in ANY competition for the veteran.
- However, Neal came through quickly with his second big play of the game. He hit Atlanta WR Chris Blair and jarred the ball loose, then ran it down and recovered it. A tremendous start for the veteran defensive back.
- Ryan Hayes and Kion Smith got absolutely beaten by their defenders on 3rd and 10 at the Atlanta 40, forcing an incompletion. Smith unfortunately went down injured and had to be helped off after the training staff was working on the area around his knee.
- Jason Sanders got the Dolphins on the board by putting it halfway up the netting from 57 yards away. That tied his career long make. Not a bad way to get things started.
- Neal followed that up with his second open field kickoff tackle of the game, putting Atlanta inside the 20. The highest marks so far or #33.
- Blair beat Bonner for a gain of 41 yards. Just straight up ran by him.
- Thompson lobbed a ball into a host of defenders on first down, and it was picked off and returned by Atlanta's Kevin King for 29 yards. Thompson had pressure coming at him after Hayes got beat badly for a second time this quarter but intended target Malik Washington was not open.
- Bonner had tight coverage on a fade on third and goal that forced a fourth down attempt from the two. However, the Dolphins got bludgeoned up the middle, and Carlos Washington, Jr. had an easy path to the end zone for the touchdown.
- Miami finally broke through for a long gain. Tanner Conner got loose near the sideline and down the field for a 43-yard gain. He said down in the soft zone in Cover Two near the sideline and turned up the sideline for a long gain. Good read by Thompson there.
Second quarter observations:
- Thompson put a swing pass over to Jeff Wilson, Jr. on third and goal from the six, and Wilson, Jr. just barely beat the defender to the pylon for the touchdown to tie the game at ten. Thompson got the ball over to him quickly, to his credit, after scanning and seeing nothing there.
- Nik Needham had two big plays in coverage on the following defensive drive to force a punt.
- Malik Washington took a reverse and weaved his way for a 23-yard gain. More speed to add to the fastest group of skill position players in all of football.
- Jaylen Wright came on and ran for a couple of back-to-back first downs. Speaking of adding more speed. Left side of the line dominated on both of those runs.
- Thompson missed Braylon Sanders in the end zone on third and two at the five, just throwing it behind him on a crossing route. His scramble on fourth down was overturned after a challenge, and the Dolphins were turned away. Oof.
- However, Atlanta muffed the following snap in Taylor Heinicke's first play, and the Dolphins accepted the Falcons' gift.
- Jaylen Wright took it right up the middle for his first touchdown on the following play. Andrew Meyer and Jack Driscoll absolutely locked up their men to pave the A gap for Wright to stroll right through.
- Willie Snead dropped a wide-open would-be first down. Can't be missing opportunities like that with roster spots on the line.
- Channing Tindall crushed Heinicke on the final play of the first half. He came through the left side of the Falcons' offensive line unblocked and laid a hard hit on the veteran QB.
- Good statistical balance for Miami in the first half offensively with 86 yards rushing and 95 yards passing.
- The Dolphins' run defense bowed its back in the second quarter, as the Falcons ended up with just 9 rushing yards in the half.
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