The Miami Dolphins’ preseason stumble got a little uglier Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium.
In a 26-3 loss to the New York Giants, Miami’s backups spent most of the afternoon getting outplayed, outmuscled and out of rhythm. The game also brought a pair of first-half injuries, adding another layer to a night that already looked bleak from the opening series.
This one never gave the Dolphins anything to build on. Unlike the preseason opener, there was no clean first drive to hang the rest of the performance on. It was rough from beginning to end.
The rookie group was part of the early conversation, too. There wasn’t much issue with the decision to sit the starters for this second preseason game other than the rookies - Kadyn Proctor, Chris Johnson, Jacob Rodriguez included. They’re young players, and a home game in preseason can still matter for them.
That approach did not age well for Trey Moore, though. The rookie fourth-round pick left with an apparent ankle injury while pressuring Jameis Winston on a pass rush. It would be easy to look back and say the Dolphins should have sat him too, but that’s judging the result after the fact.
The bigger concern was the quarterback situation behind the top guys. Cam Miller had shown better in practice over the past week or so, but this game made the depth problem impossible to ignore if Quinn Ewers doesn’t get back on track.
Miller wasn’t helped much, either. The running game was rough, and that was before Ollie Gordon II exited with what appeared to be an oblique injury.
Teams don’t have to announce preseason injuries.
Jaylen Wright also had a costly moment, fumbling before contact. That was, to put it mildly, not ideal.
The receiving group didn’t do Miller many favors, either. Tutu Atwell had another rough night, and his summer continues to point in the wrong direction. It remains hard to see a path for the former Miami high school star to make the 53-man roster.
Miami has been turning over the roster in recent weeks, and the preseason results suggest there is still more work to do. The Dolphins’ backups were beaten by the Giants’ backups in just about every area.
Even with the starters parked, it was still hard to ignore the number attached to the offense: Miami didn’t crack 100 total yards through three quarters. That’s a tough number to sit with, no matter who is on the field.
The defense didn’t offer much relief. With the Giants controlling the ball for long stretches, nobody stepped forward as a real playmaker. That helps explain why the Dolphins will keep searching for more help, like they did when they claimed a Colts cornerback on the day of the game.
Willie Gay Jr. saw a lot of snaps, which likely had something to do with the team being thin at linebacker. Still, he didn’t do enough with those opportunities to leave much of an impression.
There were a few bright spots, if only briefly. Riley Patterson drilled a 53-yard field goal in the first half. New linebacker Cam Riley recorded a tackle for a 5-yard loss early in the fourth quarter, though he missed the next tackle and allowed an extra 6-7 yards on a 14-yard reception on the following snap.
The ending fit the rest of the afternoon. Tahj Washington muffed a punt just inside the two-minute warning, and the Giants closed it out by kneeling. It was a fitting final note to what was, essentially, a mismatch.
If there was any silver lining, it’s that only one preseason game remains before the real thing begins on the second weekend of September.
But the Dolphins still have work to do. Saturday was another reminder that the non-starters are not good enough right now, and this roster needs upgrades before the games start counting.
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