Falcons Lead Dolphins at Halftime as Desmond Ridder, Starters Sit

The first half of the Atlanta Falcons' preseason is in the books - here's a rundown of all the action from the first half against the Miami Dolphins.

The Atlanta Falcons returned to action Friday night at Hard Rock Stadium, kicking off the preseason against the Miami Dolphins - and are off to a good start, holding a 6-0 lead entering halftime.

Neither side opted to play its starters, meaning the Falcons will wait at least another week until Desmond Ridder, Bijan Robinson and others make their season debuts, but the first 30 minutes still proved valuable for coach Arthur Smith in his evaluation process.

Smith noted earlier in the week that he was hoping for a clean game in terms of execution and lack of penalties, and the Falcons accomplished that feat, finishing the first half with no turnovers and only two penalties.

Atlanta started third-string signal caller Logan Woodside under center, with Smith looking to see if he warranted being carried on the 53-man roster ... and by all accounts, Woodside handled things well, completing eight of nine passes for 73 yards.

The Falcons' aerial attack proved diverse, with seven different players hauling in passes. Receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside led the way with one grab for 20 yards.

But much like last season, the Falcons' offense was dominated by the rushing attack, with Godwin Igwebuike taking six carries for 47 yards and a score while Carlos Washington Jr. added 22 yards on six attempts.

Igwebuike's 11-yard touchdown run was the lone scoring play of the first half and was followed by a missed extra point from kicker Younghoe Koo.

Defensively, Atlanta started a majority of its second string, headlined by a few players listed as starters on the depth chart in outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie and nickel cornerback Dee Alford.

The unit started strong, with rookie safety DeMarcco Hellams intercepting Dolphins backup Mike White on the first drive and later stopping Miami on 4th and 2 at the Falcons' three-yard line as cornerback Breon Borders deflected a pass intended for Braxton Berrios.

Atlanta's defense held up on the goal line once more to close the half, forcing another turnover on downs in the 10-yard line with under 20 seconds to play.

The Falcons, with momentum at their backs, will get the ball to start the second half.

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