Desmond Ridder of the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa step into Friday's preseason game seeking to solidify their standing as starting signal-callers in the NFL.
Tagovailoa showed promise by leading his team to the playoffs with a 9-8 record despite missing significant playing time with concussions.
Tagovailoa threw for 3,548 yards with 25 touchdowns to eight interceptions last season in 13 games. An issue for the Dolphins to correct is not letting the upcoming campaign become the fourth consecutive, where Tagovailoa gets sacked 20 or more times.
The Dolphins hope moves to bolster the offensive line will help. Tagovailoa spent the offseason bulking up by 10 pounds and studying jiu-jitsu to help him better absorb brutal falls on the gridiron.
"I want to get better at everything I can do to help the team win games, and I know the biggest one is my health, staying out on the field," Tagovailoa told ESPN earlier in training camp. "And so, looking at the film, I was able to watch that with my jiu-jitsu coach, and we were able to relive kind of the scenario in how I got tackled and fell. And it wasn't just one particular game. It was multiple ways that I got taken down and how I could have prevented that."
Ridder led the Falcons to wins in their last two games to bring the team's record to 7-10 in his rookie season after taking over the QB duties from former Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota.
Ridder threw for four touchdowns and 708 yards in four games. Taylor Heinicke is the Falcons backup and Logan Woodside is the third quarterback.
Since it's the first game of the preseason, expect maybe a series or two from Tagovailoa and Ridder before giving way to the backups.
Tv channel, streaming options
The Dolphins host the Falcons at 7 p.m. ET Friday at Hard Rock Stadium and will be on NFL Network. Fans in Atlanta can watch on FOX 5 and in Miami, they can tune into CBS Miami to catch the action.
Streaming options are also available at fuboTV, Hulu, DAZN, and other platforms.
Rookies to watch
The Falcons selected Bijan Robinson with the eighth pick in the 2023 draft to bolster a backfield that includes Cordarrelle Patterson and Tyler Allgeier. Robinson is a dynamic runner capable of being an old-school three-down back. It's uncertain how much he'll play in game one of the preseason, but he's worth keeping an eye on especially considering how high Robinson went in the draft as a running back.
Elijah Higgins hopes to become a security blanket at tight end for Tagovailoa. He played wide receiver at Stanford, which bodes well for him as a pass catcher. How quickly Higgins picks up the Dolphins' blocking schemes will determine how quickly he sees increased playing time this season.
Betting odds for Dolphins vs Falcons
Caesars Sportsbook has the Falcons as a 2.5 favorite as of Wednesday morning. The over/under for the game is 36.5 total points for the game.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Nubyjas Wilborn is Newsweek reporter based in Auburn, Alabama. Wilborn joined Newsweek in 2023 after winning the 2022 National Sports ... Read more
