Things finish better than they started
MIAMI GARDENS — First, Dolphins rookie middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan went down with a right knee injury before he could even take his first snap from scrimmage. Shortly after that, Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan, the defending league MVP, drove his team 36 yards in five plays for a touchdown.
No, things didn’t start well for the Dolphins in Thursday’s preseason opener against Atlanta at Hard Rock Stadium.
Things did end relatively well, however, as the Dolphins ended up with a 23-20 victory over the Falcons.
But the big story was the McMillan knee injury and the mounting injury toll on a team that’s racked up a number of significant ailments in two weeks of training camp.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill (knee) and left guard Ted Larsen (biceps) are projected starters injured in training camp who are expected to miss at least a few weeks. Running back Jay Ajayi (concussion), who has missed the last week while in concussion protocol, seems to be on the mend.
Atlanta was without AllPro wide receiver Julio Jones, who is recovering from offseason foot surgery, and defensive end Takkarist McKinley (shoulder), the first-round pick from UCLA.
McMillan, the secondround pick from Ohio State, got hurt on the fourth snap from scrimmage, a Dolphins punt.
McMillan is the second member of the 2017 draft class felled by a knee injury. Wide receiver Isaiah Ford, the seventh-round pick from Virginia Tech, recently had knee surgery and is expected to be sidelined a few weeks, at least.
The Dolphins punted on their first possession, which featured quarterback Matt Moore, center Jake Brendel, left guard Anthony Steen, right guard Jermon Bushrod, left tackle Jesse Davis and right tackle Sam Young.
Ryan made quick work of his one-series appearance, going 3 for 3 for 32 yards and one touchdown. Ryan hit running back Devonta Freeman, the Miami native who recently signed a five-year, $41 million contract extension, on a 15-yard scoring pass on fourth and 1.
The Dolphins got on the board when kicker Andrew Franks hit a 36-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 7-3, capping a 10-play, 42-yard drive led by quarterback Brandon Doughty, who was 3 for 5 passing for 26 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.
Although the McMillan injury was a serious downer, the rest of the Dolphins’ 2017 draft class seemed to make a so-so showing.
Defensive end Charles Harris, the first-round pick from Missouri, was used mostly in passing situations and had a relatively quiet night. Cornerback Cordrea Tankersley, the third-round pick from Clemson, played with the second team, possibly because fellow cornerback Tony Lippett wasn’t in uniform.
The star rookie draftee was defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, the fifth-round pick from LSU who started ahead of Jordan Phillips, the third-year player who has struggled with consistency. But it should be noted Tankersley ended with six tackles.
The Dolphins sparked the crowd in the fourth quarter when quarterback David Fales hit wide receiver Damore’ea Stringfellow for a 99-yard touchdown pass to give them a 23-20 lead with 8:47 remaining.
Shortly after that, cornerback Torrey McTyer caused a fumble on a kickoff return that running back Storm Johnson recovered at the Falcons’ 29-yard line, but Fales threw an interception three plays later at Atlanta’s 7-yard line.
It was difficult to draw any lasting conclusions based on Thursday’s game. The Dolphins’ run defense, 30th in the NFL last year at 140.4 yards per game, allowed six carries for 13 yards in the first quarter, when the starters were on the field.
Atlanta’s passing game, which included Ryan and reserve quarterbacks Matt Simms and Matt Schaub, was 7 for 8 for 73 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a 144.3 passer rating in the first quarter.
Moore was 1 for 1 passing for 5 yards while running back Damien Williams, who started ahead of Kenyan Drake, totaled 18 yards on six carries while Drake had 21 yards on four carries.
The Dolphins host Baltimore next week.