QB Tua Tagovailoa gets revenge + more takeaways as Falcons beat Dolphins 17-12
It was one of the most unceremonious welcomes in recent memory.
The boos came down the very second Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the once franchise signal caller of the Miami Dolphins, took the field. Then, a fumbled snap elicited the highest cheers, even more than either of Miami’s four field goals.
In the end, the Dolphins would lose 17-12.
Tagovailoa, who played only three drives, finished his day with 95 yards on seven-for-eight passing. It wasn’t the revenge game that he likely wanted, yet he did lead the Falcons to a touchdown on their opening drive of the game.
CHRIS BELL RETURNS TO ACTION
The vaunted rookie receiver returned to the field for the first time since he tore his ACL in his left knee in late November.
He had four targets, catching just two for 22 yards.
“It felt great—I’m not going to lie—just to step back out there on the field for my first NFL game being in Miami,” Bell said. “
It wasn’t the most glamorous first outing, but it should certainly take the pressure off the rookie ahead of the regular season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 13.
“I’ll be ready,” Bell said. “I’m ready now but I’ll definitely will be ready in two weeks. I really needed this game just to step on a NFL field and play against some competition other than my teammates.”
WHY ARE VETERANS PLAYING THIS MUCH?
What the Dolphins will do at linebacker will be heavily scrutinized.
That’s because the Dolphins drafted three—Jacob Rodriguez, Kyle Louis and Trey Moore—despite already having a solid group that included Jordyn Brooks, Tyrel Dodson and Willie Gay Jr.
What’s obvious: some veterans’ job could be in danger.
That’s because both Dodson and Gay played extended reps not just in the last few weeks against the Washington Commanders and New York Giants but again Friday evening.
Sure, injuries could have a lot to do with it. Moore just had ankle surgery. Rodriguez has an undisclosed ailment. The same goes for Brooks–who obviously was in no danger of being cut.
Still, it’s rather surprising that Dodson and Gay, both of whom are seven-year veterans, would get this many reps in the preseason finale. The duo would finish with six total tackles a piece, with the Dodson forcing a fumble and Gay recovering one.
“We had to have guys that could play in the game so we felt like we wanted to get them in,” coach Jeff Hafley said, explaining that the veterans’ extended run was a result of injuries but also wanting to get a better evaluation.
Added Hafley: “They were healthy, and I thought they did a really nice job.”
DEFENSE FORCES TURNOVERS
One big positive from the Dolphins’ preseason finale was the three forced turnovers.
The Tagovailoa fumble came first in the opening quarter. Then came a fumble courtesy of running back Brian Robinson Jr., which Dodson forced and linebacker Jackson Woodard recovered.
Last but not least was cornerback Miles Battle’s pick that came in the fourth quarter.
The Dolphins suffered a narrow loss, yet they certainly won the turnover battle three to one, something that should make the defense happy.
“We always have an emphasis to get three or we’re running,” safety Dante Trader Jr. said.
OFFENSIVE PROGRESS
In Cam Miller’s first start at quarterback against the Giants, the Dolphins’ offense had accumulated 102 yards by game’s end.
The following week: 147 yards at halftime.
That might not seem significant, but progress is progress.
While the run game yielded 78 yards, Miller had an improved day, completing 44% of his passes for 71 yards. Two receivers—Bell and Jalen Tolbert, who caught three balls for 27 yards with the North Dakota State standout at the helm — helped drive Miller’s total.
“Just confidence in myself,” Miller said when asked about the biggest improvement from the Giants game, “knowing that I can go out there and do it against the best.”
Quarterback Mark Gronowski came in at halftime and finished with 97 yards on 50% completion, a much better performance than his single-yard performance against the Giants. He did, however, lose a fumble.
Receivers Terrace Marshall Jr. and AJ Henning also played well, chipping in two catches for 37 yards and a single grab for 31 yards, respectively. The offense would end with 236 total yards, more than double last week’s outing.
Next up: roster cuts.
“I’m just super grateful for the opportunity,” Gronowski said. “It’s always a blessing to be out there playing with those guys. I felt like I left everything I could out there with those guys.”
This story was originally published August 28, 2026 at 10:06 PM with the headline "QB Tua Tagovailoa gets revenge + more takeaways as Falcons beat Dolphins 17-12."
