The games are meaningless in the standings. The final scores are meaningless for the regular season.
Let’s hope the teams are not meaningless during the regular season.
Actually, the pre-season games give the coaches unparalleled opportunities to judge the progress of new and younger players without having to make those judgments during the regular season itself when everything is on the line.
The starting eleven on offense for the Dolphins looked strong as the team marched down the field with the opening kickoff of the first pre-season game for a score. Unfortunately, they were playing largely against second-stringers for The Washington Commanders. Nonetheless, it was satisfying to see that unit dig in and prove their worth, and then sit for the remainder of the game.
Especially impressive were the perform-ances of Malik Willis and his receivers. He looked confident and determined, and the receivers appeared fast and nimble. Equally impressive was the trio of hard-nose running backs who exhibited great awareness in picking their holes. Quite a combination to look forward to.
Less impressive was the secondary on defense. There was a lot of room for the opposing receivers to roam and the time it took to make contact on completed passes was disappointing.
The Dolphins in particular looked exhaust-ed by halftime, which is not a good omen for the season-opener only a couple of games down the road. And, the second half of the game could not have been more boring, sending yours truly to bed shortly before the final gun put the game in the ground, or at least in the books.
Next up in the pre-season are the Giants and Falcons at home, then at the Raiders’ home field on September 13 to kick off the regular season. We wish the team and the new coaching staff not just Good Luck, but rather Great Performances by their team which has been a large part of our lives since 1966.
Photos Courtesy Of The Miami Dolphins