Stadium, team give reason for optimism

Fins’ defensive line, Tannehill look ready

MIAMI GARDENS — Steve Ross should have lingered over the moment Saturday night. Never has a preseason looked so good for the Dolphins in his ownership era.

Sun Life Stadium looked ready. The crowd looked ready. The Dolphins’ defensive line looked for this third preseason game like it could bury someone, Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan this time.

And the offense? Well, it looked ready for the regular season, too. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill completed 15-of-19 passes (with two drops) for 145 yards and a touchdown on a night so many worried (raising hand) about his safety behind a makeshift offensive line. Ah, optimism. It makes a re-done stadium sparkle, doesn’t it?

The biggest concern the Dolphins left with after Saturday night’s 13-9 victory was the fate of Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey, which, of course, could negate so much of the night’s work. He left in the first quarter with a knee injury.

He went to the locker room and never returned to the sideline. How serious is the injury? What does it mean with the opening game two weeks away?

The last news the Dolphins need is that Pouncey is seriously hurt. They’re already on their third-string left tackle, Dallas Thomas, who was a starting guard. That means rookie backup guard Jamil Douglas is a starter.

Pouncey’s injury would mean fourthfifths of the expected starting offensive line hasn’t proven capable of being NFL starters. Only right tackle Ju’Wuan James, in his second year, would be proven.