Tua Tagovailoa shines in first half of Dolphins preseason game vs. Falcons, top wideouts sit out
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa continued to build off an impressive training camp, leading the offense to two touchdown drives to open the team’s preseason game against the visiting Atlanta Falcons on Saturday night.
Tagovailoa completed his first nine pass attempts and connected with running back Myles Gaskin for an 8-yard score in the second quarter to give the Dolphins a 14-3 lead. Gaskin scored on a 1-yard run on the first drive to give the Dolphins their first touchdown of the night.
Tagovailoa played the entire first half, finishing 16 of 23 for 183 yards and one touchdown, a quarterback rating of 107.7.
The encouraging performance came without many of the team’s top receivers in the lineup. Wideouts Albert Wilson, Will Fuller V, Lynn Bowden Jr., DeVante Parker, Preston Williams and Isaiah Ford did not play in the penultimate preseason game. Wilson, Fuller, Parker and Ford have all been sidelined in recent weeks because of injury. Williams came off the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday but only participated in individual drills. And Bowden injured his hamstring on Thursday after taking a hard fall as he completed a catch.
Safeties Jevon Holland and Brandon Jones, cornerback Jarvaris Davis, linebackers Vince Biegel and Elandon Roberts, offensive tackle Adam Pankey and tight end Cethan Carter also did not play.
After the game, a 37-17 Dolphins win, coach Brian Flores said that Holland was dealing with an injury and felt it was best for him to sit out the game and receive treatment.
Holland, the No. 36 overall pick in this year’s draft, was a surprise scratch. He’s spent time at free safety with the first-team defense and did not appear to get injured during the team’s joint practices with the Falcons. He intercepted quarterback Matt Ryan on Thursday.
Jones and Carter have been sidelined recently with lower-body injuries, and Biegel has missed portions of training camp with a leg injury. Davis had his jersey on for Thursday’s practice but was not in pads and did not practice. Roberts was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday and only participated in individual drills.
The Dolphins also placed linebacker Kylan Johnson on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday.
Rookies Jaelan Phillips, Liam Eichenberg and Hunter Long all made their NFL debuts after missing the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears because of injury. Phillips rotated in with the starting defense while Eichenberg, who has split time at left guard at right tackle, was inserted at right tackle for the offense’s third possession.
This story was originally published August 21, 2021 at 6:28 PM.
