Last night was the first Miami Dolphins preseason Game, and needless to say, on the offensive side of the ball, it was a brutal game to watch. The Dolphins had 317 yards, 20 first downs, and only put up 3 points against the Atlanta Falcons. Backup quarterback Mike White started the game for the Dolphins and went 9-14 with 85 passing yards, one interception, and turned the ball over on downs twice in the 2nd quarter at the Falcons’ 3-yard line and 6-yard line. Third string quarterback Skylar Thompson played the second half and went 10-16, 104 passing yards and two interceptions. Despite the poor performance of Miami’s offense, Dolphins fans need to breathe and relax about the offense because, luckily, it is only the preseason.
The Dolphins sat lots of starters on the offensive side of the ball, such as starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Running Backs Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr., Wide Receivers Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Chosen Anderson, Tight End Durham Smythe, Left Tackle Terron Armstead, Center Connor Williams, and Right Guard Robert Hunt. We might not even see most of the starters in the next two preseason games as well, against the Houston Texans on Saturday, August 19th, and against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday, August 26th, so we more than likely won’t get a true evaluation of the Miami Dolphins offense until Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Now the concern would be justified if quarterbacks Mike White or Skylar Thompson were to come in and play for starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and play the way they did against the Atlanta Falcons in the preseason. Still, hopefully, that won’t be the case for the upcoming season.
The biggest positive for the Dolphins offense, with a game mostly filled with negatives, was the running game. The Dolphins had a total of 26 carries for 168 yards against the Atlanta Falcons, led by Running Back Myles Gaskin, who had seven carries for 57 yards. Running Back Devon Achane also showed his explosiveness in the passing game, leading the team with four receptions for 41 yards.
If you kept up with the joint practices between the Atlanta Falcons and the Miami Dolphins, the Falcons defense got the better of the Miami Dolphins offense. Head Coach Mike McDaniel called the offensive performance against Atlanta “mediocre,” and it carried into last night’s preseason game, with the Falcons getting the win 19-3. No need to panic just yet, but I’m hoping the Dolphins can turn the page and come back strong with joint practices with the Houston Texans and next Saturday’s preseason game in Houston.
The Miami Dolphins should go after Logan Woodside. Logan Woodside would win the starting job. SO if the Falcons release him because they have too many QBs; the dolphins should snatch him up immediately. One other QB that should be considered is veteran QB Joe Flacco. Because White and Thompson looked pretty bad Friday night. Neither one looked like they could pick up the offense and do a good job. They both also seem to have weak arms. That is bad news because all three QBs have weak throwing arms. SIGN A STRONG ARMED QB PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Doesn’t matter how strong your arm is if you can’t throw it to the right place. So many QBs have proven that point. And if Flacco is the answer to your QB problem, then you must be aiming for the top pick in the draft. He has nothing left. Tua has plenty of arm to play in the NFL. I have even seen several national reporters who visited Miami’s camp say Tua’s arm appears noticeably stronger this year.
Yep, second string QB is a question, but I believe in Skylar long term to be that dude. Right now, he will hopefully just play in the preseason and NOT SEE ANY reps in the regular season, meaning of course that Tua plays all games, all snaps. What worries me is just one piece, actually. I still am in awe because Grier has not addressed this. The RT position is a very big problem, a big question. Please don’t tell me about ‘Austin Powers Jackson’ !! He is not starting caliber and it is a very serious question. Tua being a lefty, has the RT position to protect his blindside. So, absolutely no turnstiles allowed there man. One bad play, one bad hit on Tua and the season could be done for. Knowing this, understanding this, and yet Grier did what to fortify this spot ? NOTHING. Why? Perhaps to once again justify this ill fated first round pick in Jackson, giving him yet another of like 10 chances it seems. I would bet that the other imposter on the offensive line, he being Liam “Nielsen” Eichenberg is going to lose his spot to Isaiah Wynn or someone else. He is done. But Jackson ? He is penciled in still as the starting RT and that has me and should have any Dolphin fan “QUEASY”, Joe Philbin style.
Reports on Jackson out of camp have been largely positive. It seems unlikely that they could replace him with anyone better at this point. LG is a bigger concern anyway because Tua loves to step up in the pocket. All the RT has to do is not get beat to the inside.