MIAMI GARDENS — The intrigue began before Chris Bell began running patterns and catching balls in warmups.
The intrigue actually started when Bell was spotted in his No. 18 jersey and full uniform.
He wasn’t expected to play in the preseason game against the New York Giants on Saturday.
So why was he dressed out? Was his rehab from knee surgery further along than we thought?
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It created a pregame buzz, the logic being that if Bell could come out of this test OK, it would bode well for his availability in the Sept. 13 season-opener at the Las Vegas Raiders.
Which might be more than anybody had the right to expect for the receiver, drafted in the third round by general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, hoping for a bargain with the 94th overall pick.
It was a tease. A trailer. Tune in next week for answers. Maybe.
It was that kind of night at Hard Rock Stadium, a night when the few answers we did get, we didn’t want.
The Dolphins lost 26-3. In an era in which teams tend to emphasize joint practices and treat preseason games as an inconvenience, we know not to read much into these things, especially with nearly all of Miami’s starters spectating. Still. This was a downer that challenged fans not to knock down low expectations another peg or so.
Linebacker Trey Moore was the player Sullivan drafted right after Bell. He has been on track to see significant playing time as rookie, perhaps start.
He didn’t make it through the first series.
When we said downer, we weren’t kidding.
Moore had leaped to block the throwing lane for quarterback Jameis Winston. He landed awkwardly on his left leg. As trainers helped him off the field, he couldn’t put weight on the leg, never a good sign. He then left on a cart, an even worse sign. Coach Jeff Hafley said it was too early to know the severity of the injury.
It was only days ago that Hafley was talking about Moore being an every-down linebacker versatile enough to fill most any role he has for linebackers.
There’s more. When third-string quarterback Cam Miller managed to scoot just outside his own end zone to avoid a safety, it qualified as a Dolphins first-half highlight. Looking for more? Riley Patterson kicked a 53-yard field goal. Looking for a third? Good luck.
Speaking to reporters postgame, Hafley cited the litany of mistakes his team made. Penalties. Turnovers. The works.
“I mean, just rattling these off and playing the game in my head, it doesn’t matter who’s out there,” he said. “If you can’t do those little things right, you’re not going to have success and it’s going to be hard to evaluate.”
Even deep into the second half, the Dolphins were still clawing to surpass 100 yards on offense. They finished with 102 to the Giants’ 390.
Young Dolphins making mistakes that can’t continue into season
The rest of the first half had been marred by a young Dolphins team making mistakes it cannot afford in a few weeks.
Ethan Bonner and Lonnie Johnson Jr. were called for holding on special teams. Offensive tackle Charlie Heck immediately followed Johnson’s penalty with another hold, which wiped out a 17-yard run by Ollie Gordon.
Bradley Pinion had punts of 57 and 56 yards. And one of 15.
Tutu Atwell, one of the few veterans in the receiving room, dropped two passes. Jaylen Wright lost a fumble.
Defense has no answer for Giants QB Jameis Winston
The defense, fresh off a strong showing in the joint practice with the Giants, had no answers for Winston, who engineered an 83-yard touchdown drive on New York’s first possession. Even when Dolphins linebacker Jackson Woodard recovered a fumble, there wasn’t a teammate around to high-five for causing it. Turned out the Giants’ Tyrone Tracy had simply dropped the ball in the rain.
At least there was Kevin Coleman, a receiver taken in the fifth round, pulling off a one-handed catch for 30 yards. Now, he and third-rounder Caleb Douglas could compare notes, since Douglas managed the feat in the Washington preseason affair.
Nobody expects these things to be a work of art. But the view from high above shows the Dolphins have been outscored 46-10 through two games by teams that won a combined nine games last year, costing one coach (the Giants’ Brian Daboll) his job.
Bell and Moore can’t come back quickly enough.
Hal Habib covers the Miami Dolphins for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at HHabib@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Injury compounds dismal Miami Dolphins loss to Giants | Habib
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Reporting by Hal Habib, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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By Hal Habib, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
