Dolphins Beat Jaguars 27-3
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — The Miami Dolphins are feeling good Friday night after a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Ryan Tannehill played a little longer and a lot smoother in his second preseason game.
The Jacksonville Jaguars can only hope Blaine Gabbert will do the same.
Tannehill completed 5 of 9 passes for 75 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown pass to newcomer Dustin Keller, and the Dolphins thumped the Jaguars 27-3 in a preseason game.
The Dolphins (1-1) managed just one first down in their first three drives, but Tannehill got things rolling late in the first quarter.
He connected with Keller for a 24-yard gain and then found the former New York Jets tight end five plays later for the score. Safety Chris Prosinski looked lost on the play, the first of many mistakes for the rebuilding Jaguars.
Jacksonville finished with four turnovers: two interceptions and two fumbles on punt returns.
Gabbert was hoping to make a strong impression in the team's preseason opener, the first game for first-year coach Gus Bradley. Bradley selected Gabbert as the starter Thursday, saying he earned it after showing poise and progress in training camp.
But Gabbert's 2013 debut looked a lot like his first two regular seasons. He completed 5 of 10 passes for 19 yards, with an interception. He didn't get much help, though.
Rookie receiver Ace Sanders and fullback Will Ta'ufo'ou dropped passes, and rookie right tackle Luke Joeckel had his hands full with Cameron Wake. The ball off Ta'ufo'ou's hands landed in cornerback Nolan Carroll's arms for an interception.
"It's preseason, so we are still trying to sharpen up things," Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis said.
"We are trying to see what we are actually good at and what stuff we need to sharpen up. It's a lot of trial and error still going on. It's an ongoing process. We are working out the kinks."
The Dolphins, coming off a 24-20 loss to Dallas in the Hall of Fame game on Sunday, made it 14-0 on Jonas Gray's 1-yard run in the second quarter.
After giving his starters just 10 snaps against the Cowboys, coach Joe Philbin gave them more work Friday.
It included receiver Mike Wallace, who didn't have a catch or a target in his first game since signing a $60 million, five-year contract. He missed the preseason opener because of a groin injury.
Former Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne, competing with Gabbert for Jacksonville's starting job, was slightly sharper than his teammate. Henne completed 8 of 11 passes for 87 yards. He worked some with the first-team offensive line, but finished up with the second unit.
Both quarterbacks played without three of the offense's top weapons.
Running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who is recovering from foot surgery, sat out as a precaution. Eight others, including starting receivers Cecil Shorts III (calf) and Justin Blackmon (groin), also were held out for Jacksonville.
Blackmon wasn't completely quiet, though.
He was escorted from the field following a heated argument with Carroll in the second quarter.
Blackmon was on the sideline in street clothes when he started jawing with Carroll. It was unclear who or what prompted the verbal tiff. The exchange intensified to the point where Bradley got involved.
Jones-Drew eventually stepped in, calmed Blackmon down and escorted him to the locker room.
Regardless of the circumstances, it's certainly not an ideal situation for Blackmon. The receiver is suspended for the first four games of the regular season for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. The suspension stems from two alcohol-related arrests in the past three years.
Now, Blackmon's trying to show he's matured.
Blackmon returned to the sideline to start the second half. He approached Bradley, and the two hugged it out before the third quarter began.
(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
