The Miami Dolphins faced the New York Giants on Saturday afternoon as part of the second week of the 2026 NFL Preseason. Miami elected to sit most of the starters for the game, using the contest as a chance to see the depth players as roster decisions start being made.
The players put a lot on film during the game, but few performances stood out for the right reasons. Today’s game was another instance of Miami looking outmatched and headed for a miserable regular season.
Final Score
Giants 26 – 3 Dolphins
The Dolphins were never in this
game. New York scored a touchdown on their first drive and they could have shut it down from there. Miami averaged just 2.8 yards per play on offense, gave up 4.9 yards per play on defense, and the special teams did nothing to help. It was another ugly performance from Miami who now have six days to figure out things before their preseason finale on Friday.
Immediate Reactions
Trending down: Injuries starting to pile up
The injury bug hit Miami hard in the first half. During the first quarter, rookie linebacker Trey Moore left the game with a left leg injury. He was assisted off the field and was not putting any weight on his leg, relying on trainers to support him as he walked off the field. He was then taken to the locker room on a cart.
Unfortunately, it did not stop there. In the second quarter, running back Ollie Gordon was tackled and remained down on the field. It appeared he was favoring his arm, but there was no clear indication of what the issue might have been. He was able to leave the field on his own, but he walked straight back to the locker room.
The Dolphins are already hurting for depth, even before injuries start to take their toll. It seems like that toll is coming early this season.
Trending up: Jackson Woodard continues upward trajectory
An undrafted free agent last year who bounced between three teams and made four special teams appearances as a rookie, Jackson Woodard came into the summer as a camp body who was likely vying for a practice squad role. That may still be where he lands, but he is not going there without a fight. Last week he finished with a game-high seven tackles, and he came back this week firing around the field.
Against the Giants, Woodard came to play. He recorded four tackles and recovered a fumble. He also made an impression on special teams, tallying two tackles in punt coverage (one officially negated by a holding penalty).
Trending down: Depth offensive line struggles
Maybe this does not need the qualifier of “offensive line” for this reaction, given the depth struggles all over the roster, but that is where we will focus. The line was bad today. They could not open running lanes. They could not protect quarterback Cam Miller in the first half, nor quarterback Mark Gronowski in the second half. The Dolphins did not reach 100 yards of offense until 8:46 remaining in the game. The best plays of the day came on quarterback scrambles as they ran for their lives away from pressure.
Rookie guard Kadyn Proctor was the only starting lineman to play in the game, and he only played three snaps. The depth linemen were responsible for the day, and they did not step up.
Interestingly, late in the fourth quarter, guard Josh Priebe was working as the center. Andrew Meyer, the primary backup center, has struggled while rookie Jim Bonifas may need time to develop. Could Priebe serve as the backup to starter Aaron Brewer and free up a roster spot somewhere else?
Trending up: Rookie wide receivers
This one is probably reaching for a positive, but the rookie wide receivers have made an impression two weeks in a row. After Caleb Douglas made a spectacular catch against the Commanders last week, Kevin Coleman, Jr., made sure he was noticed on Saturday. Coleman stood out during the joint practice on Thursday with the Giants, then backed it up with a leaping catch in traffic for a 30-yard gain during the game. He finished with two receptions for 32 yards – the only Dolphins player with multiple catches.
Miami will face growing pains with multiple rookies on the field this season, especially at wide receiver, with three drafted players expected to contribute, but the flashes are showing in the preseason.
Trending down: Special teams
The special teams were trending down – and then wide receiver Tahj Washington lost a muffed punt just before the end of the game. The special teams are not good right now. Nothing seems to be working in sync, whether it is kick coverage, punt coverage, field goal attempts, kick returns, or punt returns. The entire special teams unit needs to be a focal point between now and the start of the regular season.
Bonus trending down: Tutu Atwell continues to struggle
I wanted to limit this to five immediate reactions, but Atwell needs to be brought up today. There should be no pathway for Atwell to make the roster. It is harsh, but he is not playing well enough to justify a roster spot when the Dolphins could let a rookie gain experience and likely get the same production. The former second-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 2021 has fallen off.
He finished the game with no receptions on two targets, a rush for one yard, and one kick return for 27 yards. That should not be the production Miami is trying to keep on their roster this season.
