The NFL preseason schedule got started up on Thursday night with a number of exciting games and on Friday that will continue as the battle of Florida plays out when the Miami Dolphins visit the Jacksonville Jaguars for their first preseason matchup after losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the Hall of Fame Game last Sunday in Canton.
The Dolphins are entering the 2013 season with high expectations after spending a boatload of money in the offseason and after adding Mike Wallace, Dannell Ellerbe and Phillip Wheeler, head coach Joe Philbin is expecting some big improvements and the team is looking to add more explosiveness to the offense in year two of Ryan Tannehill. The team brought back Brian Hartline and added Wallace to the offense after losing Reggie Bush to the Lions and the team is hopeful that Lamar Miller can step up to the plate as the starter ahead of Daniel Thomas.
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The Dolphins were not very consistent on offense last season after ranking 26th in the league in passing yards per game and the team is expecting Tannehill to put up better numbers now that they have given him more weapons after he passed for 3,294 yards and 12 scores. The team ranked 17th in rushing yards per game behind Bush last season and now that he is gone the Dolphins will have to work harder at getting Miller the ball in space, as he is one of the fastest players in the NFL and could have a surprise season in 2013.
The team drafted Dion Jordan with their first round pick after trading up with the Oakland Raiders to the third overall pick and now he will help bolster their pass rush after coming out of Oregon. Jordan has looked good over the summer and Philbin has high hopes that he can translate to the NFL after playing in college at linebacker and in other spots. The Dolphins will start off with the Jaguars in the preseason before travelling to play the Houston Texans and all their preseason games will be against South division teams, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3 and the New Orleans Saints in Week 4.
The Cleveland Browns are waiting in the first game of the regular season before the team travels to play the Colts and then they will come home for their home opener against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3. The Jacksonville Jaguars have Blaine Gabbert back after he was injured last season and after taking Luke Joeckel with the number two pick in the draft and the team feels that they are on the right track, although the playoffs are likely years away for the franchise. The team never gave Tim Tebow chance to come to the team and in the draft they went after some explosive players with potential in Ace Sanders and Denard Robinson and both are expected to contribute heavily as rookies.
The Jags open with the Dolphins in the preseason before heading to play the New York Jets and the Philadelphia Eagles will be waiting in Week 3. The final preseason game will be on the road against Atlanta and then they will host the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 of the regular season, putting two 2-14 teams against each other.
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