Football is back and we are here for it! Week two will feature a total of 16 preseason games across the league. 11 of those 16 games will be featured Thursday night. One important game to watch will be the 7:30 showing between the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins. The Falcons are coming into week two after their Hall of Fame match-up between the Broncos, while new head coach Brian Flores and the Miami Dolphins will open their preseason at home.
What can you expect to see on Thursday? Let’s get into it!
Coaches battle: Brian Flores vs Dan Quinn: Coach Brian Flores will have his opening debut as an NFL Head Coach Thursday evening against coach Quinn and the Atlanta Falcons. Flores is coming into the year with a fragile Miami squad that is returning from two back-to-back disappointing seasons. However, Flores is looking to inspire South Florida and is bringing his shiny Super Bowl LIII ring with him. On the flip side, 1x Super Bowl Champion Dan Quinn and the dirty birds are coming off a lackluster season, after multiple injuries which led to them missing the playoffs for the first time in three years. Quinn lost their first preseason game to the Denver Broncos but gained a lot by exploiting his roster. Flores will look to use this first competition to test his young talent, evaluate his defense and help determine who will be the primary ball thrower for the Dolphins this year.
QB Battle: There’s no hiding that the Falcons have the upper hand at the quarterback position. Matt Ryan is on track to receiving his gold jacket in Canton after cracking almost every franchise record. The 4x Pro Bowler has a career high of 46,720 yards, 295 touchdowns and ranks ninth for most consecutive NFL games with a touchdown. Despite the Falcons disappointing 2018 season, Matt Ryan’s completion percentage ranks fourth in the NFL and he is on track to maintain his status quo. Behind Ryan is 15-year veteran Matt Schaub and Kurt Benkert. Benkert is out indefinitely with a toe injury and will be replaced on the depth chart by Matt Simms. Schaub has been deemed second string and is unlikely to overthrow Ryan’s starting position, however he sits as a viable option with a bulk of experience and knowledge of the system.
Let’s talk the Dolphins… Since the NFL draft the talk of the summer has been the Miami Dolphins and their quarterback debacle. With the Arizona Cardinals taking Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray as the first pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Cardinals released Josh Rosen, sending him to South Florida. Rosen has been duking it out in training camp against Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jake Rudock. The first look at the depth chart shows Ryan Fitzpatrick as the starter for the Dolphins in their upcoming match against the Falcons. Competition has been narrow between the pair over the last few weeks and it appears that Thursday night will play a crucial role in differentiating who will take a leading role at the helm. You can expect this battle to be ongoing up until the first game of the regular season.
Defense: After the Dolphins allowed a franchise high of 6,257 yards last season, Coach Flores came in to provide his expertise to the secondary. In the defensive group, Flores is looking to utilize his depth chart in different positions depending on the scheme.
“It really comes back to trying to put the right personnel groupings out there to match up with what the offense is doing and try to maximize the skill set of our players.”
Players to lookout for on the defensive end are first round pick Christian Wilkins, LB Jerome Baker, CB Xavien Howard, LB Kiko Alonso and S Bobby McCain.
For the Falcons, defense has also been a prime focus during training camp. Quinn’s focus has been on defensive communication on the field. During the HOF game, the Falcons had the opportunity to give young players the chance to insert themselves into the speed of play and test different formations. Safety Keanu Neal and linebacker Deion Jones will be important assets as they return from prolonged injuries.
Offense: The Dolphins offense is expected to showcase a lot of shifting and moving on Thursday night after a very inconsistent training camp. The offensive line has been the crux of many of the offensive issues, which ultimately led to the termination of offensive line coach, Pat Flaherty. Dave DeGuglielmo in his fifth season in the NFL has filled into the role as of July 29, 2019. Downfield, Fitzpatrick and Rosen will rely on his big three: Kenny Stills, Devante Parker and Albert Wilson. Flores has voiced that he is confident in the depth of his skill players and they will be playing a lot of situational football depending on the scheme. On the ground, Kenyan Drake and Kalen Ballage will tag team with their strong physicality and overall athletic ability.
The Falcons have a dangerous offensive arsenal of aggressive receivers and dynamic running backs. While Devonta Freeman is unlikely to play Thursday evening, Ito Smith and Brian Hill are fighting for the number two spot on the roster. In the air, the Falcons are not lacking talent between Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu and Calvin Ridley. Calvin Ridley has found a lot more confidence coming into this year’s training camp.
Ridley has received a lot of props from his teammates and coaches during the fall training camp. Matt Ryan noted how aggressive he has become on attacking the ball, timing on the field and overall knowledge of the system.
It’s safe to say the Atlanta Falcons offense will be putting on a show this year.
Stay tuned to all things The SkyBoat as we report live Thursday, August 8 at 7:30pm from Hard Rock Stadium.
Written by Merrissa Vault
