Falcons vs. Dolphins, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
The Atlanta Falcons lost their second preseason game of the 2021 season to the Miami Dolphins on Saturday night 37-17. We take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from the game.
The Good
The Score-line Needs Perspective
With nary a starter to be found, the score was lopsided once again. The Falcons lost their first game to the Tennessee Titan, but like last week's game, the Falcons left nearly every starter on the sidelines.
Projected starting right tackle Kaleb McGary played against the Dolphins. He needed the extra work having missed the beginning of training camp with an injury.
Also spotted were cornerbacks Isaiah Oliver and Fabian Moreau. One of the two will likely start the season opener against the Eagles on September 12th opposite A.J. Terrell.
That was it for the starters.
By contrast the Dolphins had their first unit on the field, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for much of the first half.
The Ground Game got Going
Rookie center Drew Dalman started for the Falcons. He's been getting cross trained between guard and center, and he looked strong, particularly on Atlanta's first possession that ended with a field goal.
The Falcons rushed for 187 yards against the Dolphins. Though like the score, that number needs to be put into perspective. The Dolphins jumped to a 30-3 lead on Atlanta, and they were willing to concede yardage on the ground.
Nevertheless, running backs Caleb Huntley and Javian Hawkins each ripped off 30 yard runs. D'Onta Foreman and Huntley each had touchdowns, and Atlanta averaged 6.0 yards per carry.
Back to Back Strong Efforts from Etheridge
Undrafted free agent linebacker Dorian Etheridge had 13 tackles against the Titans, and he followed up that strong performance with eight tackles against the Dolphins. He tied fellow linebacker Emmanuel Ellerbee for the team lead on Saturday.
Etheridge wasn't the only defender who stacked good performances. Defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard registered a sack for the second consecutive game.
Koo's Strong Leg
The Falcons took a short-lived 3-0 lead after kicker Younghoe Koo kicked a 53 yard field goal. Koo was selected to the Pro-Bowl last year after going a remarkable 8 for 8 on kicks over 50 yards.
Cleaning Up the Mistakes
Atlanta committed four penalties that cost them 35 yards. Last week against the Titans, Atlanta had 11 penalties for 99 yards.
The Bad
Season Ending Injury
Backup quarterback A.J. McCarron suffered a season ending ACL tear in the first quarter. The former Alabama Crimson Tide standout was signed in the offseason to provide a veteran backup to Matt Ryan, but he won't play again this year.
READ MORE: A.J. McCarron out for the Season
The Pass Defense
The Falcons were able to pressure and sack the Titans' Logan Woodside in week one, but the Dolphins quarterbacks picked them apart.
Tagovailoa started for the Dolphins, but it didn't get any easier when the second unit came on. Reserve quarterback Jacoby Brissett was 8 of 8 passing for 99 yards and a touchdown. Third string quarterback Reid Sinnett was also perfect, though he only had two attempts.
Combined the Miami quarterbacks were 26 of 33 (78.8%) for 286 yards and three touchdowns. Their combined rating was a gaudy 133.5, and Brissett's 157.8 rating was just shy of a perfect 158.3.
The lack of pass rush contributed to the big night from the Dolphins quarterbacks. Tagovailoa in particular was nimble in the pocket to extend plays and find open receivers. The Falcons only registered one sack and three quarterback hits on the night.
Who is THAT Guy?
Dolphins linebacker Samuel Eguavoen finished the night with four sacks and a safety. He has spent the last two seasons with the Dolphins, having spent the previous three with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He's seen action in every game for the Dolphins the last two years, but he only had one start last year. Atlanta turned him into Lawrence Taylor on Saturday night.
The Ugly
The Passing Game
McCarron had started showing improvement before he went out with a knee injury. He was 3 of 6 for 43 yards and led Atlanta to a 3-0 lead.
Franks was scheduled to start the second half but was pressed into action early. While Franks led the Falcons on two touchdown drives, he was 4 of 9 for 46 yards and an interception.
His passing numbers after five plus quarters of preseason action are 6 of 18 for 62 yards and an interception.
READ MORE: How Confident is Rookie Feleipe Franks?
In two games the Falcons have 87 yards net passing once sacks are taken into account.
Yes, this is a second and third unit, but there's no sugar-coating those numbers. They're ugly.
Watch the Fade
Delrick Abrams is a second-year cornerback out of Colorado. He's list third team on the Atlanta depth chart and is fighting for a roster spot. He was victimized twice on short fade routes in the end zone. Robert Foster out-fought him for the first touchdown and Abrams slipped on Kirk Merritt's score.
Up Next
The Falcons are back in action against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday night for their final preseason game. The Falcons starters should be in action against the Browns, simply to get some game action in a new offensive system before the season opener.
It will also be a busy week at Falcons' headquarters in Flowery Branch as Atlanta must find another quarterback to replace McCarron while trimming the roster down from 85 to 80 by Tuesday's deadline.
