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Lessons to learn
Sloppy affair shows Dolphins have plenty of work to do
The Miami Dolphins put together a sloppy showing in the first preseason game of the Brian Flores era, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t take away plenty of lessons from Thursday night’s matchup with the Atlanta Falcons.
Here’s what we learned from the Dolphins’ 2019 debut:
Miami needs to find quality backup offensive tackles
Laremy Tunsil sitting out Thursday night’s game exposed just how bad Miami’s backup offensive tackles are. Jordan Mills, a veteran who has made 82 starts, was bad at left tackle. But in fairness to Mills, he was signed to play right tackle. Will Holden also had his struggles, which indicates that the position needs re-enforcements if Miami intends to keep its quarterbacks upright.
Pass rush wasn’t as bad as expected
The Dolphins only produced one sack in the first half courtesy of Nate Orchard’s take down, but Miami had defenders in Atlanta’s backfield most of the game. Tank Carradine was active hunting down the Falcons quarterbacks, and Charles Harris had his moments as a pass rusher. Miami needs to identify a few players who can beat an offensive lineman one-on-one or else this defense will struggle all year.
Williams needs more opportunities
It’s rare that an undrafted player is the top rookie performer on a team, but that’s been the case this summer because of how productive Preston Williams has been. His partnership with Josh Rosen resulted in the former Colorado State standout catching three passes for 70 yards. At this point it appears Williams has locked up a spot on Miami’s 53-man regular-season roster. The question is whether or not he has the talent to become a rookie starter?
Defensive rotations being exercised
The complexity of Miami’s defense centers around how many schemes and packages they have, and many of the feature a heavy load of pre-snap substitutions. The Dolphins kept many starters on the field for most of the first half as the team worked in their units, playing as part of their packages. Working on substitutions is important because late ones could lead to breakdowns or penalties.
Dolphins need a better backup returner
Having Jakeem Grant and Albert Wilson sidelined by injuries creates an awareness that Miami needs to find more return specialists. Trenton Irwin, an undrafted rookie from Stanford, was back deep serving as a punt returner Thursday. The Dolphins can, and should do better than that unless the expectation is that Grant and Wilson will be cleared to practice without limitations soon.
Rosen needs to improve his defensive reads
Josh Rosen had a productive debut for the Dolphins, but he 2018 first-round pick Miami traded a second- and fifthround pick for this offseason made the type of mistake that has haunted him all camp in Thursday night’s game. Rosen threw a pass inside the hashmarks late and it was intercepted by former Miami Hurricanes linebacker Jermaine Grace. Pretty soon Rosen will develop a reputation as a quarterback whose passes defenders should try to jump. Rosen finished his night completing 13-of-20 passes for 191 yards, with one interception.
Plenty is expected of Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Dolphins’ 2018 first-round pick, but the former Alabama standout is struggling to adapt to his new role as a nickel cornerback and safety in certain packages. Fitzpatrick missed a tackle in the backfield that led to a 37-yard reception by Kenjon Barner. As someone who will play in the box plenty, the Dolphins need better tackling from Fitzpatrick.
Deiter has room for growth
The Dolphins are intent on making Michael Deiter settle in as the starting left guard, having the 2019 third-round pick play the position he finished his college career at in Wisconsin. Deiter committed a false start in the red zone, but his play overall was solid, if not efficient. He should improve if he can stay healthy and improve his technique.