First play, proper out of the gate, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa went deep to speedy large receiver Tyreek Hill for a 51-yard achieve towards Philadelphia.
Second play, Tagovailoa went to Hill once more, this time for a 13-yard achieve.
Two performs after that, each working performs, Miami scored a landing.
Miami’s first-team offense, with first-year coach Mike McDaniel as its architect, was completely dazzling in Saturday towards the Eagles at Hard Rock Stadium.
But right here’s the query: do you belief what you noticed from Miami’s offense for one quarter of a semi-meaningless preseason finale when Philly was enjoying largely backups?
In an NFL period the place it’s extra vital to indicate nicely in joint practices, Miami’s offense was respectable in two practices towards Tampa Bay and fairly good in a single observe towards Philadelphia. Both Tampa Bay and Philadelphia might make the playoffs.
However, I have to see extra from the Dolphins’ offense.
I’ve nonetheless obtained extra religion within the Dolphins protection being the extra constant play-making unit, not less than early within the season.
You noticed proof of that once more Saturday when security Elijah Campbell had the 30-yard decide six within the second quarter to offer the Dolphins a 24-0 lead.
This is similar Campbell who sparked Miami’s greatest preseason stretch, which got here towards Tampa Bay within the opener.
In that stretch, you noticed Miami’s early-season path to glory.
It was defense-led complementary soccer.
With Miami trailing, 14-6, Campbell grabbed an interception, setting the Dolphins up on the Tampa Bay 22-yard line. One play later rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson hit large receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. for a landing.
Two performs after that, Miami linebacker Darius Hodge sacked Bucs quarterback Kyle Trask, who coughed up the ball. Linebacker Sam Eguavoen scooped it up and rumbled 32 yards for the landing and the 20-14 Dolphins halftime lead.
Play-making is usually a thread that runs by means of a unit. It’s a tone. It’s an expectation. Miami’s protection has it.
Cornerback Xavien Howard. Defensive finish Emmanuel Ogbah. Linebackers Jaelan Phillips and Melvin Ingram. Cornerback Byron Jones. Defensive deal with Christian Wilkins. Safety Jevon Holland.
Phillips, who had 8.5 sacks final 12 months as a rookie, didn’t essentially endorse the thought of the protection carrying the offense early.
“It’s us feeding off of each other,” he stated after Wednesday’s joint observe with the Eagles. “It’s us carrying each other. You don’t ever want to have a team that’s one-sided.”
I belief this protection. They have flaws, positive. They’re not a top-5 unit. But they will get the job executed.
On Saturday, nevertheless, the offense took steps towards altering my eager about how nicely it might play early within the season.
Tagovailoa, who has been good in preseason and joint practices, solely performed the primary quarter towards Philly, however he was 6-for-7 passing for 121 yards, one landing, and an ideal 158.3 passer score.
His decision-making was sharp — some nitpickers say the deep move to Hill was a contact underthrown and will have been a landing, or Tagovailoa held the ball too lengthy and took a blind facet sack — and his efficiency was encouraging.
Hill, who solely performed one sequence, ended with two receptions for 64 yards.
The working sport didn’t have any destructive performs, and actually, Raheem Mostert had a 26-yard achieve.
And the offense didn’t even have two key items in large receiver Jaylen Waddle and left deal with Terron Armstead.
Still, we wanted to be excited, teased, tantalized by Miami’s offense in preseason. It occurred Saturday, however it didn’t occur sufficient in preseason.
Here’s what we all know: The Dolphins offense, sparked by Hill and Waddle, and beneath the course of Tagovailoa, is meant to be explosive, multi-dimensional, and hard to defend. We solely noticed that on uncommon events. It stays a piece in progress.
But not less than after Saturday, there’s extra of a risk the offense is pressure proper out of the gate within the common season, simply because it was towards the Eagles.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com