Miami Dolphins Make A Statement In Second Preseason Game
Preseason or not, it was important for the Miami Dolphins to come out and make some noise in front of a home crowd. While you can’t judge success before the season starts, there was plenty on display in Week 2. The Bills and Patriots might be their biggest competition and they too blew out their opponents. The Jets proved there may have been a bit too much noise in the Packers’ offseason as well. Miami needed to come out and look as good as advertised, and they did.
Tua Turns A Corner?
One thing that needs to be a huge success for the Dolphins to keep pace in the division is quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The second-year leap for a QB is the most important and Tagovailoa looked like he’s stepping up. 11 of his first 12 pass attempts were completed, the last was under booth review and reversed proving it was close. At that point, he should’ve come out of the game firmly in a rhythm but the Dolphins kept him in. 113 yards and a touchdown to boot with limited mistakes, that’s a good night for a preseason game.
His biggest play of the night was the touchdown pass. it may not have been the most flashy play but it was the lone play that shows he’s improving. On a similar play against the Bears, he hung on to the ball too long and the defender snagged the late pass in the end zone. This time, Tua stepped up in the pocket, fired it in quickly, and put 6 on the scoreboard. If he improves week to week as he did from year one to year two, he’s going to be tough to slow down.
More Dolphins: 3 Key Areas To Fix Before The Season
Sam Eguavoen Shows Heart
Sam Eguaveon once paid $100 to try out for the CFL at a workout in Dallas. "There was a time I really couldn’t see the light at the end of this tunnel," Eguaveon said, when he made the Dolphins in 2019. Eguaveon has four sacks, including a safety, tonight.
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) August 22, 2021
Sam Eguavoen showed the kind of heart that made Zach Thomas a household name, and hopefully a future Hall of Famer. That might be where the comparison stops, but for a team that struggled with the pass rush, the Dolphins needed a breakthrough. Preseason or not, you have to respect a guy who just keeps his head in it and grinds away. Having sat out for covid protocol, Eguaveen made a much-needed impact for the Dolphins.
Can’t Cut List
While there’s bound to be one name on the chopping block that surprises fans, Dolphins players went out of their way to make it difficult on coaches. Take Malcolm Perry, for instance. As a RB/WR, he didn’t see much in terms of the run game. He was however utilized in the kick/punt return role. If Miami keeps their roster loaded with receivers, Perry will need to make an impact on special teams. We all know what Jakeem Grant is capable of, Perry won’t win that role easily. He did have 4 kick returns for 84 yards and two punt returns totalling just 13 yards. He also managed to pull down a 29-yard reception.
Speaking of receivers, with so many out, plenty have a chance to earn a roster spot but it’ll be an uphill battle. Guys like Mack Hollins and Kirk Merritt have been making huge impacts at camp and it continued in-game. Hollins 4 for 49, Merritt 3 for 34 and a TD. If you had a few beers and squinted your eyes, you might have thought this was their starting unit but these are the guys buried on the depth chart. Miami won’t be able to keep all these guys, but coaches will have to really think on this one.
With the division getting tougher, the Dolphins needed to remind the other teams they’re in it too. Winning in the preseason in this fashion might not silence critics, but at least they have to take notice.
Rick ODonnell aka Caveman Rick has many years covering the Miami Dolphins, Sports, and all sorts of movies and television.
