Atlanta Falcons vs Miami Dolphins: Final Thoughts
It’s time for football again. We are at Week 3 of preseason, which is the most important of the exhibition games. We will see more action from the starters and we may even get the answers to some of the biggest questions on the depth chart.
Dan Quinn wanted this week to be a dress rehearsal for the regular season, and this is an opportunity to get fully prepared. The Atlanta Falcons meet the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium – here’s my final thoughts.
Get ready for Tevin Coleman
At long last, Tevin Coleman will make his Falcons debut. He missed the first two preseason games with a hamstring injury, which is coincidentally the same problem fellow running backs Devonta Freeman and Antone Smith are dealing with.
So this is the rookie’s chance. If he’s to win the starting job, he will need to show he belongs in the remaining two preseason games. His first taste of NFL action won’t be easy, either, as he will line up against a strong Dolphins defensive front led by Ndamukong Suh.
We have a real football game on our hands
It’s the third preseason game; the starters are getting plenty of reps under their belts. This sounds like we have a real game on our hands. The Falcons and Dolphins are both trying to get their players ready to hit the ground running when the regular season kicks off in two weeks, so this game will be a good contest.
RELATED: Falcons at Dolphins – Full Preview
Like any exhibition game, the result doesn’t matter. The coaches will intentionally put their players in tough spots with unfavorable matchup so they can evaluate. Remember this is the time for evaluation, not wins. Despite losing to the Jets last week, the Falcons can see the game as a victory after the starters looked dominant on both sides of the ball.
Time to step up
This is the time to step up for many players. I’ve mentioned Tevin Coleman; injury has robbed him of two games so the margin for error is reduced. Another name that needs to be mentioned is T.J. Yates. He started preseason as Matt Ryan’s backup but two poor performances has given Dan Quinn enough doubt to sign veteran free agent Rex Grossman. The competition is still wide open, but Yates will need to step up his game.
It’s going to be a tough test all round for the Falcons, and this is exactly what they need. A strong defense will force Ryan and the offense to play well, and a multi-talented offense will keep Quinn’s new-look defensive unit on its toes. Throw in the fact this is the third game and we should see our most entertaining preseason contest yet.
As ever, the Falcons truly win this game if they don’t suffer any injuries. Stay tuned to Blogging Dirty throughout the game and for recap immediately after.