Ooof, where to start? Ten thoughts on Dolphins 26-3 loss to Giants

It was a week that confirmed everything I expect (fear) about this season will play out (yikes). The New York Giants’ starters dominated, for the most part, the scrimmage against the Dolphins starters on Thursday. The reserves picked up with the same idea, from the Giants’ opening drive right to Tahj Washington’s muff of a punt with under two minutes.

Giants, 26, Dolphins 3.

The game meant nothing, but the individual play continued to draw a picture. Most of the 10 thoughts deal with the first half because those reserves are the ones these teams are counting on. So let’s dig in:

1. With Quinn Ewers hurt, Cam Miller started and completed six of 11 passes for 60 yards. Miller looked decent. He really did. The numbers could have looked better. Tutu Atwell a pass, for instance. Miller did have a nice, 18-yard run in the second quarter to show some awareness. Mark Gronkowski, well, he was just brought back this week and …do we have to put the numbers out? Two of five for a yard.

2. Yes, it was preseason, and most starters sat, so you and qualify everything. Still, you wanted to see something more - if there was something more from a roster paying 38 cents on the salary-cap dollar ($179 million dead cap money). Nothing made you re-think the idea about a lack of depth of the Dolphins as the reserved played:

First downs: Giants 26, Dolphins 3.

Total Yards: Giants 390, Dolphins 102.

Third-down efficiency: Giants 11-18, Dolphins 2-11.

3. Here’s what you really didn’t want to see Saturday: An injury. Linebacker Trey Moore was helped off the field five minutes into the game with had the look of a bad injury. Support staff were under each shoulder and he was putting no weight on his left leg, so it wasn’t some simple injury. The fourth-round had played himself into a starting linebacker role via the most recent depth chart. We’ll have to see where this goes, but needless to say it’s not the new you want out of a preseason game about a rising rookie.

4. No one made any noise at edge rusher in the first half. Yes, it was backups. Yes, you’d like someone to shine a little. As it was, Jameis Winston had all the time he wanted in the first half in completing 15 of 21 passes for 150 yards and having a 20-3 lead. They did get a sack early in the third quarter when Seth Coleman-Lyles, who recently resigned with the Dolphins, and another recent signee, Cam Rice, combined for a sack.

5. Who stood out at receiver? Kevin Coleman Jr. again. He made a great, one-handed catch for 30 yards – one-handed because his other hand was behind held in pass interference. He came back to practice this week missing some time with injury and promptly caught two touchdowns. So, the fifth-round pick is playing his way on the team in a manner others aren’t. Coleman had two catches for 32 yards in the first half. He also five targets in the first half - no other receiver had more than two. Meanwhile, the veteran receivers keep being no-shows. Atwell had the drop. Jalen Tolbert had a good play called back by holding in the third quarter.\

6. Backup running back? That’s a question. Jalen Wright fumbled his second carry and had four carries for 9 yards. Ollie Wright had a nice, physical run up the middle for about 16 yards that was called back by holding penalty (tackle Charlie Heck). He then suffered an injury just before halftime, though he walked off the field and went to the locker room. Hard to blame them too hard with the line work. Either way, you have to wonder if this is a position the Dolphins will begin looking at who is being released by other teams.

7. Four plays, five yards. That was a Giants field-goal drive after a 15-yard punt by Bradley Pinion to the Dolphins 30. No one’s going to judge anyone by one play, but … you were glad to see him follow up with a 43-yarder. It’s Pinion’s job right now. He averaged 45.9 yards on punts with Atlanta last season.

8. Some former Dolphins are trying to make the Giants.

*Odell Beckham Jr. – if you consider him an ex-Dolphins – caught a pass and broke a tackle from Ethan Bonner for a nice 12-yard gain. He then had a touchdown go right through his hands in the back of the end zone before half before catching a first down. He ended with two catches for 17 yards.

*Elijah Campbell had a tackle in the first half in trying to make the team.

* Braxton Berrios didn’t play Saturday, but had two punt returns for 30 yards in the first preseason game and appears to have the inside track there.

9. Quick Hits:

*Giants running backs had a good first half of work. Devin Singletary had eight carries for 40 yards and Tyrone Tracy Jr. had six carries for 26 yards.

*Nice feature by Ch. 4’s Mike Cugno on Kim Bokamper’s 50^th year with the Dolphins. (Man, he’s getting old).

* Does the phrase, “They have work to do,” cover it?

10. Next week: Atlanta at Dolphins. Well, well, well. It’s the meaningless third preseason game and the Dolphins present of kids and $179 million of cap dead-cap money meets $50 million of that cap money in quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tua struggled in the preseason opener in Atlanta and again in a scrimmage against Indianapolis. He then sat out the Falcons’ 34-6 win Saturday against Indy. Falcons fans are getting restless. The Dolphins, meanwhile, have their own concerns.