GOT YOUR GAME FACE ON?
Rookie LB McMillan goes down on his first play
A Dolphins fan displays a show of trust in coach Adam Gase on Thursday night during the team’s preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons. Miami, which trailed 20-10 entering the fourth quarter, won 23-20.
MIAMI GARDENS
— All you need to know about the Miami Dolphins’ first preseason game is the that starting middle linebacker didn’t start at middle linebacker. Raekwon McMillan didn’t last that long. The rookie expected to be featured Thursday night stayed down on the field after his first play as a Dolphin, a punt.
Team doctors came on the field and examined his knee. McMillan walked off the field. But after some more examination on the sideline he left for the locker room, accompanied by trainers.
Does God hate the Dolphins this summer?
Or is this just a summer to fear?
First, quarterback Ryan Tannehill was lost last week in practice. The Dolphins came out of that as well as possible by signing Jay Cutler. Now McMillan went down in the opening preseason game against Atlanta Thursday night and was accompanied by trainers into the locker room.
At best, the second-round pick who has been the most notable rookie in training
camp lost a night of good work. At worst, it’s his first and last play of this season.
McMillan is expected to be the youthful part of the linebacker makeover. He’s supposed to be a centerpiece of a defense trying to improve from being ranked 30th against the run. He’s impressed enough in training camp to start wearing the headset in his helmet given to the signal-caller.
Now he’s walking into the locker room?
You knew football season returned Thursday — well, sort of — because the hitting was real and some fans grumbled on Twitter about a valuable rookie being on the punt coverage unit at all. But that’s the place a lot of linebackers have to play, especially young ones like McMillan.
There’s a risk to the limited reward of preseason, though. Every NFL team knows it and tries to minimize the risk as much as possible. Dolphins Coach Adam Gase told you what he thought about the first preseason game by pulling any starter with concerns.
Only guard Jermon Bushrod, for instance, started on the offensive line. That meant quarterback Matt Moore had to play behind a make-shift line. But he played just one series, same as Atlanta’s Matt Ryan on the other side. And Moore threw one safe pass, completing it for 5 yards. His night was then done.
And why not? Early August nights are for the kids. Fifth-round pick Davon Godchaux started over third-year veteran Jordan Phillips at defensive tackle and looked good enough that Phillips should get a motivational kick. Or another one. How many before that’s who he is?
Receiver Leonte Carroo, who did little as a rookie, caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Doughty. That provided an injection of hope. He did it against Falcons cornerback C.J. Goodwin, who was a reserve last year. So he beat good competition.
Defensive end Charles Harris, this year’s top draft pick, provided a play of good pressure in the first half. So there was that.
But the story of the night wasn’t a good one for the Dolphins. McMillan was to have a feature role this night, a kid needing work to get ready for the season. He won’t be an every-down player. But he was to be an important one as the Dolphins attempt to change the tone of their defense.
With the addition of Lawrence Timmons, with Koa Misi retired, McMillan was to provide some young talent toward improving the Dolphins’ run defense. Maybe he still will provide that. Maybe Thursday’s injury will just be a blip to what’s coming ahead.
As it was, this past week has been more eventful than hopeful for the Dolphins. Last Thursday, Tannehill is lost. This Thursday, McMillan goes down. He walked with no apparent limp. But, then again, so did Tannehill.
It’s only August. It’s still early. But it’s becoming the kind of summer that makes you wonder what else can go wrong.