The Miami Dolphins' 2016 season got off to a false start Friday night against the New York Giants due to a near-hour lightning delay in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Once the game began, Miami’s first-team offense failed to show much spark.
Led by fifth-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill, Miami’s top unit produced zero points and failed to get a first down in two drives during a 27-10 victory over the Giants. This is an important preseason for Tannehill, who is in the midst of learning his third offense in four seasons.
Tannehill finished 2-of-4 passing for 8 yards on a pair of three-and-out drives. It was a small sample size, but Tannehill will be the first to admit he has a higher standard for himself and the offense.
Here are some additional takeaways for the Dolphins:
QB depth chart: Second-string quarterback Matt Moore got extended playing time Friday. He threw a bad interception to linebacker Jonathan Casillas in the middle of the field, but Moore also threw a 51-yard touchdown to receiver Matt Hazel that was tipped by Dolphins player A.J. Cruz. Moore led the Dolphins to three consecutive scoring drives that produced 17 points. He finished with 122 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. Third-string quarterback Brandon Doughty also threw for 66 yards and Zac Dysert threw for 16 yards and a touchdown.
Maybe that dude could start: First-round pick Laremy Tunsil was the second-team left guard Friday night. But Tunsil should be the starter over Dallas Thomas by Week 1 of the regular season. There is still a learning curve for Tunsil moving from left tackle to guard in the NFL. However, he flashed his improvement against the Giants. Tunsil had the block in the open field that sprung fellow rookie Jakeem Grant for a 24-yard gain in the third quarter.
Who got hurt? The Dolphins got out of this game relatively healthy. The biggest ailment was Grant, who injured his ribs in the fourth quarter and didn't return. His status will be updated when the team returns to practice Sunday.
A surprise player who impressed: Grant, Miami’s sixth-round pick, had issues with dropped passes and muffed punts in training camp. But when the lights came on Friday night, the rookie showed he was a gamer. Grant had a strong preseason debut with four catches for 68 yards on offense and an additional 113 return yards on special teams. He showed plenty of speed and quickness in the open field.
When it was starters vs. starters, the Dolphins looked. ...: Sloppy. Miami’s defense allowed a game-opening touchdown drive that included two penalties, missed assignments and poor tackling. To be fair, Miami rested several defensive starters, which we will get to next. But the starters on the field, such as linebacker Kiko Alonso and safety Isa Abdul-Quddus, had negative plays on that opening drive. The starting offense also saw a holding penalty by right tackle Ja'Wuan James and shaky pass protection on two drives. Both units must do better next week with more playing time.
One reason to be concerned: Tannehill was hit too often for an exhibition opener. He was pressured on three of his four pass attempts, which surely gave Dolphins fans flashbacks. Tannehill is the NFL’s most-sacked quarterback (184) since 2012. Miami has more depth and more invested in the offensive line this year. It’s a long season, and the results are expected to be different.
Veteran rest: Head coach Adam Gase said during the week he would be cautious with his veteran players. Starters Ndamukong Suh, Mario Williams, Reshad Jones, Arian Foster, DeVante Parker, Byron Maxwell and Jason Jones all got the night off Friday. Gase said he would evaluate his approach each week during the preseason, but right now he doesn’t see the risk of injury being worth it for key veterans.
What’s next: The Dolphins will return to the practice field for the final week of training camp, which ends Aug. 17. They will be on the road again for their second preseason game Aug. 19, when they face quarterback Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
