Dolphins vs Bucs Preseason Game Recap 2
Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne said after the Fins’ first preseason game that the performance from the team just wasn’t good enough, and he was right. But like most other things in the game, there is a bright spot hidden among his disappointment, as he easily could’ve blamed many external components, such as the sloppy weather, a lackluster opponent or just the fact that it was a preseason game. But instead, it seems as if the Dolphins are turning a corner – and not just saying that they are better than what they put on the field Saturday, but actually believing it as well.
And while there may have been plenty for Head Coach Tony Sparano to complain about Saturday, there were plenty of bright spots as well. The sunshine may have been stuck behind the clouds during the game, but the following all provided reasons for Fins faithful to be optimistic:
- One of the players that stuck out during the preseason contest was Nate Ness. The first-year cornerback led the team in tackles with four and forced two fumbles while breaking up three passes and playing well on special teams. If you are ever looking for what a productive day at work looks like, that’s probably it.
- Miami’s top two draft picks, Jared Odrick and Koa Misi, both had quality starts in their first NFL setting. It’s not too often you have two rookies starting on defense, and both have played pretty consistently throughout training camp thus far and carried that over into the first preseason game, as Misi recorded three tackles and Odrick recovered a fumble. Both jobs are theirs to lose, and fans can expect to see them out there a lot throughout the remainder of the preseason.
- Brandon Marshall may not have put any numbers on the board Saturday, but receiver Patrick Turner did just the opposite. While Marshall dropped two passes, Turner made two catches, one that resulted in a 34-yard gain, which tied Marlon Moore for the largest gain of the day for the Dolphins. There are no guarantees on this team for Turner, but in a day when the offense looked lethargic, he stood out as someone for the coaches to keep their eye on. In fact, Sparano even had this to say on Monday: “There are some guys in the game that made the most of their opportunities when called on, and I thought that Pat was one of the guys.”
If you are a Miami Dolphins fan, there’s even more good news in addition to the few points listed above. First of all, the Dolphins have three preseason tune-ups left, including one this Saturday in Jacksonville against the Jags. Stay tuned here for your full coverage on the team, but also don’t forget that Miami Dolphins tickets is your No. 1 stop for Dolphins tickets, VIP tickets and even pregame tailgate party packages for the remainder of the preseason and beyond!
