The Atlanta Falcons lost to the Miami Dolphins 34-27 in their second preseason game of the year. The Falcons put together a good performance overall, but just couldn’t seal it in the end.
They came out strong in the first half, going up 19-13 before halftime. The offensive and defensive lines did a great job controlling the line of scrimmage early on, but they faltered during the second half when the third and fourth string units came in until the very late in the game.
Atlanta’s pass rush looked great, and it led to some great defensive play during the first half with a mixed unit. Dan Quinn’s defense is finally looking like it could be good.
On offense, Matt Schaub played solid, leading two touchdown drives and two field goal drives. The Falcons need to know that their veteran quarterback can be a solid backup to Matt Ryan in case of injury, and he showed it today. Great play from Russell Gage made his job easier.
The combination of penalties and undisciplined play in the second half of the game is what lost it for the Falcons in the end. Things will get better, but it needs to clean up before the season starts.
