Miami Dolphins practice blog: Live updates from joint sessions with Atlanta Falcons
News and notes from the Miami Dolphins’ joint practice with the Atlanta Falcons. We’ll update this throughout this practice, with the most recent updates inserted on top:
12:45 p.m.: Practice ended with the first and second teams going against each other.
On the first Falcons drive, Matt Ryan drove Atlanta downfield for a field goal. Jevon Holland nearly intercepted a pass during that drive and Eric Rowe knocked away a potential touchdown to Kyle Pitts.
Miami opened that drive with a defense of Emmanuel Ogbah, Adam Butler, Brennan Scarlett, Jerome Baker, Andrew Van Ginkel, Duke Riley, Xavien Howard, Byron Jones, Justin Coleman, Jason McCourty and Eric Rowe.
On the Dolphins’ first possession, Tua Tagovailoa completed a 20-yarder to Jakeem Grant but the drive then stalled when Steven Means beat Austin Jackson for a sack. Miami turned it over on downs.
On Atlanta’s next possession, A.J. McCarron threw a long TD to Juwan Green, with Terrell Bonds among Dolphins victimized on that busted coverage.
The Dolphins scored on their next drive, on a Jacoby Brissett pass to Robert Foster in the back of the end zone. Brissett was sharp on that drive.
12:15 p.m.: Tua threw another TD pass for Adam Shaheen - the third TD hook up between those two in 10 minutes. The latest was in 11 on 11 red zone drills and went for 20 yards... Durham Smythe dropped a red zone pass from Tua; it should have been a touchdown...
Austin Jackson allowed a sack...
Brissett hit Robert Foster for a TD in the back of the end zone in 11 on 11 red zone drills. Then Brissett closed this fourth set of 11 on 11 drills with another TD to Foster, again in the back of the end zone.
On the other field, Calvin Ridley beat Xavien Howard on a five-yard slant for a TD, from Matt Ryan. But the Dolphins also had good coverage on a couple of red zone throws by Ryan.... Andrew Van Ginkel knocked away a pass from Ryan.
Noon: Tua just threaded a pass between two defenders for a 15-yard touchdown to Adam Shaheen in 7 on 7 red zone drills. Tua then hit Mack Hollins over the middle for another TD in 7 on 7 red zone drills. Hollins dunked the bar over the crossbar, drawing a penalty. Then Shaheen caught another short TD from Tua.
On the field with defensive drills, Justin Coleman and Trill Williams had good plays in coverage. Williams, the undrafted Syracuse rookie, continues to impress. And Coleman has had a solid camp as the first-team nickel.
11:45: Jaylen Waddle dropped a slant from Tua Tagovailoa. Waddle has been generally sharp throughout camp. But then he contorted his body to make a difficult catch on a Tua throw.
Then Tua had to throw the ball away because nobody got open. Lynn Bowden, Waddle and Robert Foster were the first team receivers for this third set of 11 on 11 drills. The Dolphins are without six receivers today.
Tua then completed a short dump off to Malcolm Brown... Facing pressure on the outside, Tua then escaped for a short gain. And he delivered a 10-yarder to Adam Shaheen and completed a 10 yarder for Jakeem Grant.
Malcolm Perry picked up chunk yards on a short sideline pass from Brissett and then caught another pass from Brissett for a 15-yard gain....
The second team offensive line: Adam Pankey and Larnel Coleman at tackle, Matt Skura at center, and Solomon Kindley and Jermaine Eluemunor at guard...
On the defensive side, Nik Needham had a nice pass breakup. He had a pick earlier.
11:30: Jakeem Grant got up slowly during a special teams drills and walked to the sideline with a slight limp. But he’s back practicing.
11:15: In the second set of 11 on 11s, a Jesse Davis pass breadown led to a Tua throwaway.
A Tua 20-yard sideline throw to Mack Hollins wasn’t poorly thrown but was incomplete against good coverage.
But then Tua completed a slant to Mike Gesicki for what would have been a first down (in a real game).
The Falcons then had a coverage sack on Tua, whose first-team receivers today are Jaylen Waddle, Hollins and Grant. Five receivers are sidelined. (See below.)...
Lynn Bowden bobbled but caught a short pass from Brissett. But Robert Foster dropped an easy catch over the middle from Brissett. Patrick Laird then caught a short sideline pass from Brissett.
On the field with the Falcons first team offense and the Dolphins first team defense, Eric Rowe made a nice play in coverage against Kyle Pitts. Benardrick McKinney stopped a Falcons run for a loss.
11:05: Tua Tagovailoa threw a beautiful deep pass -- about 45 yards -- to Salvon Ahmed, beating a Falcons defender in 7 on 7 drills. Then Tagovailoa delivered a 15-yard dart to Malcolm Perry...
Jakeem Grant fumbled in 7 on 7 drills.... Jacoby Brissett had a nifty throw to Kirk Merritt for a decent gain on an intermediate route. Merritt has looked good early today... Malcolm Perry couldn’t haul in a catchable pass from Brissett over the middle.
Nik Needham picked off Felipe Franks in 7 on 7 drills. Cre’Von LeBlanc also had an interception for the Dolphins in 7 on 7s - a ball that bounced off a Falcons receiver....
Greg Little is working as the second-team left tackle.
10:55: In 11 on 11 drills, the Dolphins went back to the offensive line they’ve used most of the past two weeks: Austin Jackson at left tackle, Liam Eichenberg at left guard, Michael Deiter at center, Rob Hunt at right guard and Jesse Davis at right tackle.
Myles Gaskin began team drills with a 15-yard run on a play that was well blocked. But two other Dolphins running plays were swallowed up by Falcons linemen, including one nice play by Grady Jarrett to stop a Malcolm Brown run for a short gain.
Tua Tagovailoa threw one incompletion on a well thrown pass over the middle and then hit Mike Gesicki for a short gain...
Jacoby Brissett hit Robert Foster for a 20-yard gain over the middle....
The Dolphins second-team offensive line got some push on rushing plays - a welcome sign after Saturday’s debacle. Gerrid Doaks had one nice run. One reason for that: Solomon Kindley, who started on Saturday, was on the second team offensive line and he’s the best run blocker on that group; he helped open that hole for Doaks.
On the other field, the Dolphins first-team defense went against the Falcons first team offense, and Matt Ryan completed a long pass to Kyle Pitts over the middle. There appeared to be a blown assignment, though Pitts - no breaking news here - is really good.
10:45: Tua Tagovailoa was very sharp early on 1 on 1 throws against Falcons defensive players. Jaylen Waddle and Mike Gesicki both caught nice throws over the middle. But the Falcons forced incompletions on two subsequent passes. And Lynn Bowden Jr. dropped a pass over the middle.
Also in 1 on 1s, Jacoby Brissett threw a beautiful deep ball to Kirk Merritt, who outran a Falcons cornerback (Fabian Moreau) for a touchdown. But Brissett overthrew Malcolm Perry on a deep pass after Perry got open.
10:35: The Dolphins remain short-handed at receiver. DeVante Parker, Will Fuller and Albert Wilson remain sidelined; Fuller has missed nearly all of camp and Parker most of it. Isaiah Ford also wasn’t spotted.
Tight end Cethan Carter, who injured his knee against the Bears, also is out. Brian Flores has suggested Carter’s injury is not serious.
Vince Biegel (out of his boot) and Brandon Jones and Javaris Davis are here but don’t appear to be practicing; all have injuries.
Jesse Davis is back after missing a day for the birth of his child.
New offensive lineman Greg Little, acquired from Carolina for a seventh-round pick in 2022, is at practice and wearing No. 75.
10:25: The Dolphins placed linebacker Sam Eguavoen on the reserve-COVID 19 list, meaning he either tested positive or was a close contact of someone who was. Eguavoen has had a good camp and is on the bubble for a roster spot.
He’s the only player on the Dolphins’ COVID list at this time....
Tight end Hunter Long is wearing a brace on the knee that he injured last week. He hopes to be available to play soon....
Cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, who was shaken up in the Bears game, is wearing a red non-contact jersey.
This story was originally published August 18, 2021 at 10:29 AM.
