Miami Dolphins: 3 Things to watch for in preseason opener

The Miami Dolphins will play their first preseason game this weekend. Here are 3 things to watch in the game against the Chicago Bears.

The wait is finally over, and the Miami Dolphins’ first live action will take place this weekend. At 10am this Saturday morning, the Dolphins will be on the road to take on the Chicago Bears in the first preseason contest for both teams.

For the fans, it marks the end of a long summer of media attention. There have been questions about Tua Tagovailoa’s ability to lead Miami to the promised land, and he has been the subject of scrutiny at almost every turn. For the players, it will be the first time that they are able to gel in a true game environment, and there are new faces and weapons all over the field.

It will not be your average preseason game. The two participating teams have been competing against one another in joint practices all week, with Saturday’s contest being the official finale.

It will be the first live game action for the rookies, and will be the first career preseason game for the second-year players, too. A lack of practice games was one of the many reasons given for Tagovailoa’s appeared lack of success, an alibi that he won’t be able to lean on this year. Predictably, the starters will play only a series or two, meaning that the look that we get at the first-team offense will be a quick one.

The Dolphins are heading in to a season in which they have expectations and solid play from last year to build on. The national media will be keeping a close eye on south Florida, for better or for worse, and will be itching to give their opinion on the quarterback, the coach, and the rest of the team. So what should we watch for in Saturday morning’s contest? There are story lines all over the board, but there are a few of them to pay close attention to. Here are the 3 most important things to watch in preseason Week 1: