The Dolphins’ new faces showed there is plenty of room for optimism after beating the Atlanta Falcons 20-13 in their preseason opener on Friday night at Hard Rock Stadium.
The Miami coach did not play his stars Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Jaylen Ramsey, among others. His goal was to take care of his starters and, above all, to see on the court those who will compete for a spot on the roster for the 2024 season.
What the strategist could not avoid were the injuries, which have been present in the NFL since the opening whistle.
McDaniel was pleased with the performance of the players he sent out on Friday, though he was concerned about the injuries that occurred on the court at the Miami Gardens giant.
“It was a good feeling to see the guys finish plays in good shape,” McDaniel said.
“That is the most difficult thing in football. We were able to do it despite all the obstacles that arose in the game with the number of injuries.”
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The Dolphins scored on a touchdown pass by Jeff Wilson Jr., a six-yard pass from Skylar Thompson, a six-yard run by Jaylen Wright, and two field goals by kicker Jason Sanders.
“The positive thing was seeing the team make great efforts to find the way and move forward,” he explained.
“On the defensive side, several players were in various positions because of some depth issues in the squad. So it was great to see that response from them in front of our fans.”
McDaniel was very excited about the performance of rookie Wright, selected by the Dolphins in the fourth round and with the 120th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The 21-year-old, 6-foot-10, 185-pound rusher gained 55 yards on 10 attempts against the Falcons and scored a touchdown on the ground. He was the most effective player in the home team’s ground attack.
“What Wright did was what I expected to see,” McDaniel said. “It was his first start in the NFL and I wanted to see him confident, steady running back. He did a couple of things that weren’t great, but he showed he can bounce back and finished the game with great power.”
Wright brought out all the strength of his youth and when he scored his touchdown he threw the ball into the stands. He promised that when he got his first score in the regular season he would keep the ball for himself, like a precious trophy worth treasuring.
Thanks to his youth and strength, Wright can become a winning card for the Dolphins
“I’m an explosive running back, I don’t just dance in a hole,” Wright said.
“Any opportunity I see, I’m going to attack it at my maximum speed. And if I see the open field, I go all out. I feel like I have power in me. I’m elusive and I feel like I have a mix of styles to carry.”
The Dolphins will face the Washington Commanders on August 17 (7 pm) at Hard Rock Stadium. The last preseason game for the Miami team will be against the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay on August 23 (7:30 pm).
The Dolphins’ regular season debut will be against the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 8 (1 pm) at Hard Rock Stadium.
With million-dollar spending on the contract extension of quarterback Tagovailoa and the guarantee of wide receiver Hill, the Miami team is under pressure to go far in the league, especially in the playoffs this season.
