Kelly: Five Takeaway From Dolphins' 19-3 Preseason Loss to Falcons

The Miami Dolphins' lack of depth got exposed by the Atlanta Falcons in the exhibition opener

The Miami Dolphins stunk it up in the preseason opener, a 19-3 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, and while excuses can be made for the team’s lackluster performance, I’d reiterate it highlighted one of my main concerns about the 2023 squad.

These Dolphins don’t have roster depth. 

This training camp roster is like a party that features numerous top-shelf liquor and when those are finished, all that's left is bargain basement beer and wine.

Keep in mind, Miami also played against the Falcons’ second- and third-string players, and it was late in the game when a watered down-offensive line, an undrafted receiver tipping a pass in the air that produced a pick-six, and a dismal special teams performance allowed a touchdown that cost the Dolphins the game.

However, there are plenty of teachable moments we can take from Friday night. Here are five things that stood out to me.

1. Erik Ezukanma brings a physicality Dolphins need

Ezukanma, the Dolphins’ 2022 fourth-round pick, flashed the type of speed and toughness that hints he might have the talent to become an NFL starter. Now it makes sense why Miami was giving the Texas Tech standout the majority of the second-team snaps before he suffered an undisclosed injury in the second week of training camp.

Those two runs (jet sweep, end-around) on which he gained 52 yards shows he possesses the physicality this receiving corps is missing. Now let’s hope he’s finally learned the playbook, which was the reason he only played in one game last season after shining in the preseason as a rookie.

2. Don’t overlook Myles Gaskin

This was a lesson I learned in 2020, when the seventh-round pick beat out Kenyan Drake and Jordan Howard for the starting spot. It’s been years since Miami has utilized Gaskin as a starter, but that doesn’t mean he’s any less an effective runner. I’ve noticed that in training camp when he’d gotten his few opportunities, and his 8.1 yards per carry average against Atlanta hints that he shouldn't be overlooked.

Gaskin’s style isn’t sexy, but it’s productive, and might encourage Miami to keep him over Salvon Ahmed, whose skill set is identical to De’Von Achane's. If I had to guess, Ahmed or Gaskin get waived and go on Miami's practice squad if they aren't poached by another team. It all comes down to which veteran Miami will expose to the rest of the league.

3. Special teams churned the stomach

If I told you I wasn’t surprised by the sloppy special teams performance Miami put forth against the Falcons, would you be shocked?

That’s the issue. I watched Danny Crossman’s unit get dominated all week in the joint practices by the Falcons and felt there was trouble brewing. I don’t care if the players making mistakes aren’t going to be on the 53-man roster. This unit is a problem, and it needs to be fixed. The Dolphins were the worst special teams unit in the NFL last season and the Dee Alford punt return for a touchdown wasn’t an encouraging sign that the tide is turning.

The Dolphins need to find six to eight core special teams players who are going to bust heads and be reliable blockers and tacklers. At this time, I can only identity three or four.

4. De’Von Achane was solid, but showed limitations

The Falcons did exactly what I expected NFL teams to do when they saw Achane in Miami's backfield. They blitzed the linebackers, and on one play the rookie from Texas A&M whiffed on a block that could have gotten his quarterback hurt. Skylar Thompson got crushed for a fourth-quarter sack, but it wasn’t Achane’s linebacker who got there first. 

Fortunately, it looked like this was more of a technique issue than a toughness issue than a can-do issue. We’ll need to see Achane pass-protect more, and effectively before he gets the green light to play with Tua Tagovailoa. It’s one thing to line up Achane, who gained 25 rushing yards on 10 carries and caught four passes for 41 yards, out wide and have him pretend to be a receiver. But putting the 5-foot-8, 182-pound tailback in the backfield, where he’ll often serve as the last line of protection for the quarterback, is a whole different animal.

5. Auditions at left guard ongoing

The offensive line deserves some credit for the line surge they created against Atlanta, which helped the Dolphins gain 168 rushing yards on the night. But keep in mind Miami had two projected starters out there against the Falcons' backups. Austin Jackson was solid, which is encouraging because it hints what we’ve been seeing in training camp isn’t fool’s gold. But the left guard spot continues to be shaky, and neither Liam Eichenberg or Isaiah Wynn passed the sniff test. 

Terron Armstead’s presence hopefully will help stabilize the left side of Miami’s offensive line, but the audition needs to be carried into next week's joint practices with Houston, and hopefully Texans defensive tackles Sheldon Rankins and Maliek Collins will help the Dolphins find the right fit. 

If I’m General Manager Chris Grier and his staff, I’d be combing through all 31 team’s interior linemen, shopping for a possible upgrade via trade or the waiver wire because that spot is weighing down the offense like an anchor.