Fales, Osweiler falter in bid for backup spot
MIAMI GARDENS — Backup quarterbacks David Fales and Brock Osweiler each tossed an interception in Saturday’s preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Fales had a passer rating of 30.4 and Osweiler had a rating of 35.7.
“I think there’s room for improvement, for sure, but it’s hard to put it all on them when you get the ball and you’re not expecting it or we’re not blocking the guys,” Dolphins coach Adam Gase said.
Gase has been planning to keep Fales or Osweiler as Ryan Tannehill’s backup, but neither has had a strong preseason.
“It’s hard to evaluate quarterbacks sometimes in preseason games,” Gase said. “You have to use all your practice time and what you know about guys’ history, and that’s what makes it tough.”
Fales has been better than Osweiler in practice. But it may be time to seriously consider a trade or a plan to add a veteran quarterback after final cuts.
Perhaps the Ravens will cut Robert Griffin III, who had a 70.4 passer rating Saturday while also running for 41 yards.
Neither of Miami’s backups is a running threat. Osweiler was sacked three times behind a porous offensive line made up of second- and third-stringers.
“I understand why (Osweiler) was frustrated,” Gase said. “He took a couple shots there. It’s not on him.”
Fales and Osweiler will get one more chance to shine in the preseason finale Thursday at Atlanta.
Wrong-way Kiko: Linebacker Kiko Alonso has had quite a few highlights in his time with the Dolphins, but this moment was one he’d prefer to forget.
Near the end of the first quarter, Alonso tackled Maxx Williams, did a flip, then ran to the wrong sideline. He stood near Ravens coach Jim Harbaugh for a few seconds before Harbaugh smacked him on the shoulder and directed him back to Miami’s side.
Alonso laughed about it with teammates when he got back to the bench, but didn’t actually find it funny.
“You guys don’t even need to ask,” he told a crowd of reporters after the game. “I don’t have much to say. I did a flip and that’s it. I kind of ran off the field and I was fine, but it was just silly.”
Alonso said he was disoriented from doing the flip and had his head down as he ran to Baltimore’s sideline. Once he realized he was in the wrong place, he figured it was best to stay there rather than disrupt the next play.
Instead, he ran across the field while Baltimore was trying to kick a 56-yard field goal, and the Dolphins were flagged for delay of game. The upside for Miami: Defensive tackle Vincent Taylor blocked the ensuing kick.
The other linebackers gave Alonso a hard time after the game, and he knows this isn’t going away anytime soon.
“Of course,” he said. “I’m definitely going to hear that for a while. And it’s well-deserved.”
Grant likely out: Receiver/kick returner Jakeem Grant, who sustained a helmet-to-helmet hit in the second quarter Saturday, entered the NFL’s concussion protocol and is unlikely to play in the preseason finale.
Ravens safety Chuck Clark was assessed a 15-yard penalty for lowering his head before tackling Grant, who caught a 7-yard pass from Tannehill. Grant stayed down for about a minute, refusing help from teammates, then went straight to the locker room.
Grant had 13 catches for 203 yards and two touchdowns last season. He has two weeks to heal before the Sept. 9 opener against Tennessee.