MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Atlanta Falcons faced the Miami Dolphins for their final preseason game of the 2026 season.

Atlanta's starters took the field Friday night to get a final tune-up before the start of the regular season. Speaking with reporters before this final exhibition game, head coach Kevin Stefanski explained how much thought he and his staff give to the number of reps players get ahead of the season.

"One of the things that you learn from the data that medical provides you is how much you should do, what playing in these games, what playing in joint practices does to your first few weeks of the season from a soft tissue perspective, which I believe in," Stefanski said. "There's great data that was shared with us at the league meetings, and we've tried to follow through on a lot of that. So, getting X number of plays in preseason, getting to joint practices, I think sets you up for success in the fall. It's not a guarantee of anything, but it does set you up."

The starting units played the first quarter before giving way to the Falcons' second-teamers, and they built a 7-3 lead through the opening 15 minutes. The defense had a tackle for a loss on the second play of the game and forced a three-and-out on the first series. They allowed just 3 points and 45 yards in the quarter.

Here were the main observations from Friday's preseason finale.

Final score: 17-12, Falcons

Why Falcons vs. Dolphins matters

Friday night served two important purposes. It was the latest segment of the starters' on-ramp to the regular season, and it provided the final evaluation point for the team's decision-makers ahead of Sunday night's roster cutdowns.

Offensively, tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Jahan Dotson were the top pass catchers for the starting unit with Tagovailoa at quarterback. Pitts caught all three balls tossed his way for 59 yards, including an impressive 37-yard sprint up the right sideline, while Dotson caught three of his own for 27 yards.

Running back Brian Robinson Jr. scored the first-team offense's lone touchdown, punching it in from 3 yards out.

Defensively, starters like A.J. Terrell, Xavier Watts and Brandon Dorlus each had their moments in the first quarter. Edge defender Cameron Thomas earned a sack, and defensive tackle Maason Smith recorded a stop in the backfield. Linebacker Divine Deablo wore the green dot for the first time in a game, which is also a key step ahead of his first season as the main communicator for the defense.

For the reserves, this game was the final chance to claim a roster spot. Led by Cooper Rush, the No. 2 offense put together a good drive on their second possession of the second quarter. Rush was 8-of-9 passing for 52 yards on the series with a 3-yard touchdown catch to tight end Jack Velling. Wide receiver Chris Blair proved to be his go-to guy with a crucial 5-yard catch on fourth-and-3 and an 11-yard fingertips catch two plays later. Blair is among the receivers fighting for a spot, and those two plays should help his case.

Key takeaway from Falcons vs. Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa's first-quarter performance is one that continued to fuel the fire of the Falcons' ongoing quarterback competition.

Stefanski said Wednesday that Michael Penix Jr. would not play in Friday night's game. Penix, for his part, agreed that playing in the game would feel "too soon," seeing as he just has three practices with full-team work under his belt.

That said, it meant quite a bit of run was expected for Tagovailoa as the starter in the team's final preseason game. Before the game even began, Tagovailoa was the first Falcon out of the locker room, warming up on the field at Hard Rock Stadium, his former home base to this point in his career.

When he finally did take the field to start the game, he was met with a splattering of "boos" by the Miami faithful. What followed thereafter was a surgical drive that ended with a short touchdown run by Brian Robinson Jr. The drive was highlighted by Pitts' 37-yard catch-and-run on a screen that Drake London's block on the outside sprung.

To start the next series, Tagovailoa fumbled the snap to start the drive. Miami recovered. The veteran quarterback came back out for a final drive that also ended in a fumble, this time by Robinson.

The fumbles aside, Tagovailoa's performance was efficient in nature. To the tune of being 7-of-8 through the air for 95 yards, which included a lot of shorter, quick passes over the middle to players like Pitts and Jahan Dotson. Tagovailoa didn't attempt to push the ball downfield in his dropbacks Friday night, going for a more clinical approach to moving the ball by getting the ball quickly into the hands of his offensive playmakers. That said, there is something to that strategy.

Overall, Tagovailoa's night wasn't one of intense flashiness, but it worked towards what the Falcons needed in each moment (fumble, again, aside but noted). It's a performance that was everything NFL pundits have come to know Tagovailoa to be. The question remains, though: Was it enough to be named the Falcons' starter in Week 1? That answer has not yet taken the form of an answer.

Key moment in Falcons vs. Dolphins

Kyle Pitts' 37-yard catch-and-run mentioned above not only set up the Falcons' first touchdown of the game but also reminded those watching why the sixth-year tight end has the reputation that he does. There's a reason NFL coaches bring up explosive plays as frequently as they do. Creating a big play dramatically increases the chances of a team scoring on that drive. Pitts is as good as any tight end in the league at generating explosive plays, and that's going to help the Falcons put points on the board. After his strong finish to the 2025 season, Pitts looks ready to go.

Standout Falcons performance

DeMarcco Hellams.

This has been a very important offseason for Hellams. Speaking to the media earlier this week, secondary coach Justin Hood praised Hellams, stating this preseason is the best he's ever seen the safety look. Friday night's performance was indicative of that statement and backed it up.

On the same Miami field that ended his season two years ago before it ever began, Hellams was electric in the first quarter against the Dolphins. He was physical in his pursuit of the ball and the Miami receivers. He had consecutive pass breakups in the defense's second series, before following it up on the next drive with a near interception. He seemed to always be there at the scene of the proverbial crime.

Jessie Bates III has not practiced during team periods for much of training camp and the preseason. Stefanski said previously Bates was dealing with a lower back issue. In his place alongside Xavier Watts as a defensive starter has been Hellams for much of the preseason.

Everyone knows how special a player Bates is, but in the event the Falcons need to call upon their safety depth, Hellams has solidified himself as a bruiser who can be relied upon.

Number to know for the Falcons

Four. That's the number of quarters edge defender Bralen Trice played on Friday night. The third-year player and former third-round pick saw game action for the first time since his very first preseason game as a rookie. Notably, that game also took place at Hard Rock Stadium against the Dolphins.

Trice has been working to get back onto the field since that injury, and it's clear the coaching staff wanted to give him a lot of snaps. The Falcons have a deep rotation on their defensive front, and Trice is pushing for a place in it. He's the kind of player best served by a long look in the final preseason game and a good example of how teams approach determining rep counts.

What's next for the Falcons

The next time the Falcons take the field will be in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for their season opener against the Steelers. However, there are more pressing matters at hand for the team before Week 1 rolls around.

Atlanta must trim its roster to 53 players by Sunday evening at 6 p.m. ET. After a competitive first training camp under Stefanski, he and his staff will have to make a lot of tough decisions in the next 48 hours.