Dolphins-Falcons Joint Practice Defensive Observations (Aug. 9)

Dolphins cornerback Justin Bethel shuts down Falcons offense with a situational period interception

The Miami Dolphins defense admittedly came out to the second day of joint practices flat after outperforming the Atlanta Falcons offense Tuesday.

With Christian Wilkins sitting out the action (for unknown reasons that could be anything from an injury to contract-related), the Dolphins were missing the team’s emotional leader, so it likely wasn’t a coincidence the defense played like a lifeless unit during 1-on-1s and 7-on-7s.

Starting quarterback Desmond Ridder went 4-for-4 on touchdown throws in 7-on-7s in the red zone area, which was practice's first competitive series.

But the minute the team period of practices began the Dolphins defense clamped down on the Falcons offense. During the early period of 11-on-11s the Falcons converted one first down, and completed all of two passes.

Run lanes were clogged, and the Dolphins pass rushers were consistently in the backfield pressuring quarterbacks Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke.

Rookie DB pulls down a pick-six interception

Rookie free agent safety Keidron Smith made the first noteworthy play of 11-on-11 action, intercepting a Logan Woodside pass and running it back for a pick-six touchdown. 

The safety from Kentucky would get flagged a couple plays later for committing pass interference.

Channing Tindall, who has had a quiet training camp for the second straight year, shot the gap during an 11-on-11 series and was in position to make a tackle at or close to the line of scrimmage during the outside option of Wednesday’s practice.

Tindall, the Dolphins' 2022 third-round pick, has been having a rough camp, but seemingly excels at blitzing and shooting the gap. He’s good at things that don’t require much read-and-react. Problem is, he's been mediocre at his primary job.

Raekwon Davis, whose snaps have increased because of Wilkins’ absence, flushed Ridder out the pocket during Miami’s 11-on-11 red zone period, and the Falcons' athletic quarterback scrambled right for 9-yard gain on a drive the Falcons finished off with a touchdown.

Unfortunately, I missed how Atlanta scored because I was watching the skirmish between the Dolphins offense and the Falcons defense, which seemingly centered around receivers Robbie Chosen and Tyreek Hill.

Dolphins D-line clamps down Falcons run game

When my focus returned to the Dolphins defense, Emmanuel Ogbah produced a tackle for loss on a handoff Falcons tailback Tyler Allgeier fumbled and then recovered.

The Dolphins sniffed out a screen pass for what would have been a tackle for loss, and rookie defensive lineman Randy Charlton deflected a third-down pass at the line of scrimmage, concluding a red zone series.

Jaelan Phillips sacked Ridder in a hurry-up situation where 48 seconds were put on the clock and the Falcons were placed at their own 35-yard line.

That drive stalled, and in the next situational series Justin Bethel pulled down a drive-ending interception off Heinicke. But the veteran cornerback suffered an injury on the play and was examined by trainers.

Bethel was one of four Dolphins players who suffered troublesome injuries during Wednesday’s practice. Tailback Jeff Wilson seemingly hurt his hand. Waddle seemingly suffered an upper-body injury after completing a reception, and fullback Alec Ingold also left the field with injury.

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