Before we officially hit the panic button, let's just remember it's the preseason, every team is going to get a clean slate come September, and when the Dolphins head up to Buffalo for opening weekend, whatever happened in these practice games is going to be the last thing on everybody's mind. Having said that, all we currently have to go by with our evaluation of this team are these preseason games, and judging by last night, the Dolphins are a long way from becoming a legitimate contender this season.

Also, remember that the Falcons are a very good football team, and if it wasn't for a bad decision by Chad Henne at the end of the first-half, it would have probably been a respectable 10-10 ball game at halftime. But playing what ifs is a dangerous game, because then you could probably throw in the Matt Ryan overthrow which should have been a long touchdown pass to Roddy White. Anyway, the bottom line is any way you spin it, there is plenty of concern to go around on both sides of the ball right now. So let's get this evaluation over with, but if a little negativity is going to ruin your day, it would probably be wise to bypass this post.

Offense

Chad Henne led group
It's tough to even think about how inefficient the first-team offense was last night, let alone give them a grade. Nevertheless, let's try and sum up just how ugly that performance was. The run game was by far the biggest cause for concern, as Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams carried the ball a combined 12 times for an absolutely pathetic 14 yards. Why exactly was there a makeover on the interior offensive line again? I know there was concern about Justin Smiley's shoulder, but I can't help but wonder if the front office is questioning themselves right now.

The passing game on the other hand, wasn't much better either, but they did show some signs despite getting zero help from the ground attack. If Ronnie and Ricky were themselves, and actually produced a little bit, you would think things would have opened up down field for Henne and company. It's just a shame Henne tried to force that ball into Fasano, because there was finally some positive momentum building after two long connections to Brandon Marshall. After two quarters and one possession, though, three points is massive underachievement.

GRADE: D-

Pennington led group
I was a little disappointed to see Pennington come in the game so soon, simply because I wanted to see Henne lead at least one touchdown drive. He did provide a little spark for one series at least, connecting on a 17-yard pass to Ricky Williams that eventually set up another Dan Carpenter field goal. Still though, with no running game, it was obvious Pennington's lack of arm strength still limits how far this offense can go with him under center, having little chance at picking up third and longs.

One area where Henne needs to take notes, though, is blitz recognition. We saw Pennington pick up the blitz instantaneously and get rid of the ball in a hurry. On the contrary, even though Henne is making a conscious effort to avoid bad decisions and usually just takes a sack in those situations, recognizing the blitz off the bat and getting the ball to a receiver immediately, would do wonders for his game, especially against blitz happy defenses like the Jets

GRADE: B-

Pat White led group
Tony Sparano said during the week that he didn't expect his fourth quarterback to play last night. Either he had a change of heart, or Pat White is really ahead of Tyler Thigpen on the depth chart. I'm going to need to hear Sparano admit the ladder before I believe it, so as of now, I'm just assuming the coaches allowed White one opportunity in a game that was really out of reach when it was time for the third quarterback to sub in. Surprisingly, though, White went a solid 4 of 4 for 27 yards passing. Unfortunately, poor field position and a lack of pass protection prevented White from possibly leading a scoring drive.

GRADE: C

Defense

First-team/a few second team members (1st half)
After a poor showing against the Jaguars, Vontae Davis bounced back in a big way last night, breaking up three passes, getting in on seven tackles, and forcing a fumble in run support around the line of scrimmage. The rest of the secondary picked up where they left off a week ago. Jason Allen, who replaced Sean Smith in the starting lineup, had great coverage on a deep pass to Roddy White at the beginning of the Falcons' second drive, but a few plays later he basically gift wrapped the inside for Roddy White on a touchdown pass from Matt Ryan.

Sean Smith, who missed most of the first quarter after breaking a team rule, wasn't targeted much, but was burned badly on a Roddy White double-move that should have resulted in a long touchdown strike from Matt Ryan. Nolan Carroll, who stayed put as the starting nickel corner, was abused a few times in coverage, most notably conceding a third and long completion that kept the Falcons first touchdown drive going.

The run defense on the other hand, accompanied Davis as two things to feel good about. Outside of the first couple drives, where Misi and Wake did a poor job of containing the edge, the run defense stiffened for the most part, and held Micheal Turner to under three yards per carry.

GRADE: C

Second-half
The second and third string front seven was pushed around a bit in the second-half, as the Falcons ground game was able to break the four yards per carry mark. The roster fringe secondary players didn't show much sense of urgency, surrendering a touchdown drive to Chris Redman and the Falcons' backup offense. All in all, despite giving up only six points, the Falcons were able to chew too much clock, and kept the Dolphins' offense off the field in a two score game.

GRADE: C-

Special-teams
We saw a little bit of improvement at least, but anytime you have to rely on your kicker to save a touchdown, you still have some things to work on with you kickoff unit. Other than that nerve racking play, Nolan Carroll took a step in the wrong direction as kick returner by not hitting the whole as hard as he did in the first two games, we learned Dan Carpenter is still one of most reliable kickers in football, connecting on both of his attempts, including a 53-yarder, and newly acquired Benny Sapp did a fantastic job as the gunner, making the first hit on the punt returner on the Dolphins' well covered punt. Overall, however, the kickoff and punt teams need to do a better job of wrapping up, or it won't be long before someone takes one back to the house.

GRADE: C-

After coming alive in Jacksonville last week, the offense took a step in the wrong direction tonight. Chad Henne looked like a completely different quarterback than the guy who went 11 for 14 against the Jags, Brandon Marshall and Brian Hartline each had another dropped pass, penalties plagued any momentum the Dolphins' briefly flashed, and perhaps most troubling, the running game was inept.

I know the Falcons have a pretty solid front seven, but Ronnie and Ricky carrying the ball a combined 12 times for 14 yards is completely unacceptable. Maybe we have prematurely chalked the Dolphins' rushing attack up as one of the best in league, because they haven't showed anything so far that suggest that is the case. Tonight the offensive line provided zero push, Ronnie and Ricky appeared too hesitant, and Dan Henning wasn't exactly calling his best game-running a few too many draw plays for my liking.

Henne finally got the passing game going a bit toward the end of the first-half, connecting on two long passes to Marshall to set Miami up inside the redzone, but made his first mistake of the year, trying to force a ball into Fasano that was tipped and picked off.

Defensively, things weren't great, but we saw enough positives signs to feel good about things, considering Nolan still isn't blitzing. The pregame headlines centered around Jason Allen surpassing Sean Smith in the starting lineup, which lead to all sorts of speculation. Allen went on to surrender Atlanta's starters' only touchdown, on a Matt Ryan to Roddy White pass, and we later learned Smith was only being punished for violating a team rule.

When he finally came into the game, though, Smith was burned pretty severly on a double-move by White, which should have resulted in touchdown, but luckily Ryan badly overthrew him. On the other side, his second-year starting counterpart was phenomenal tonight. Vontae Davis was breaking up passes left and right, all the while continuing to be terrific in run support, forcing a fumble around the line of scrimmage on a third and one in the second quarter.

On another positive note, the run defense was finally tested. After looking a bit shaky early on, the Dolphins put together a great effort by holding Micheal Turner to only 47 yards on 16 attempts, which is just under three yards per carry.

All in all, it's going to be hard for the Dolphins to come out of tonight's game with their heads held high, nor should they, but I think it was just a matter of not executing on offense, and on defense we may have seen a young corner take a big step at growing up in front of our eyes.

When: Tonight at 7:00 p.m. EST
Where: Sun Life Stadium-Miami Gardens, Florida
TV: Local only, NFL Network replay airing at 2:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. tomorrow morning
Weather: High: 90 degrees, Low: 80 degrees, 30% chance of isolated thunderstorms

Tonight's "dress rehearsal" will give us our best look at the 2010 Miami Dolphins yet, as the starters should get around three whole quarters of action.Getting such an extensive look against a playoff caliber team like Atlanta should tell us a lot about where this football team stands. And while we will likely have to put some of those roster fringe battles on hold until next Thursday in Dallas, the remaining competitions with starting jobs on the line will likely be decided tonight. So let's get to the three questions and three players to watch.

Three Questions

1. Will offense build off positive momentum?
Last week we saw Chad Henne have his way with a below average Jacksonville secondary, and the Dolphins' offense as whole put up 24 points in the first-half. Will they continue to move the ball efficiently against another average defense tonight? The Falcons pass defense finished a miserable 28th in the league a year ago, and while they may have improved in the offseason, if last week was indicative of how improved Chad Henne is, we should expect similar success tonight.

Also, the dropped passes need to stop. Thankfully, Henne was good enough last week to not be significantly affected by two more drops, but Marshall and Hartline need to get their act together. Not that I'm down on Marshall after last week's solid performance, but someone who has said he wants to be considered the best receiver in football can't drop the passes he's dropped this preseason.

The running game on the other hand, will be tested tonight, if they decide to pound the rock that is. The Falcons possess one of the better front seven's in football, and if Ronnie and Ricky are featured heavily in the game plan tonight, we will get a glimpse of how affected the ground game has been by all the shuffling along the interior offensive line.

2. Will secondary bounce back against Matt Ryan and company?
Matt Ryan, Roddy White, and Tony Gonzalez aren't exactly who want to see when you are trying to bounce back after a dismal outing a week ago. David Garrard and Luke McCown threw all over Miami last Saturday night, and probably revealed that the secondary remains the Dolphins' biggest weakness.

We know Vontae Davis and Sean Smith have potential, we've heard it a thousand times, but it's time we see them live up to it. And yes, I know it's only the preseason and it's only their second season, but hey, if the Dolphins want to win now that's probably what it's going to take.

Chris Clemons should also be tested tonight, especially when matched up with Tony Gonzalez. It's been almost a year since Gonzalez completely exposed Gibril Wilson in coverage in Week 1 last season. Will Clemons prove to be an upgrade, or is time the coaches start considering Reshad Jones for the job?

3. Will special-teams improve?
Outside of Nolan Carroll looking solid returning kicks, the Dolphins' special-teams were a joke against the Jaguars. They conceded yet another blocked punt, this time giving up a safety, and were pathetic covering kicks, allowing Jacksonville to return four kickoffs past their own 40-yard line, even though the Dolphins were bailed out by a fumble and a penalty on two of those returns.

Considering that a good portion of those players on special-teams are sitting on the roster fence, you would think there would be a sense of urgency to make plays. If not, we could see some guys who have impressed on offense or defense, shatter their roster chances by underwhelming on special-teams.

Three players to watch

Benny Sapp: Having just be traded for on Wednesday, we may not see much of Sapp at all tonight. The Dolphins have been playing a lot of vanilla defense in the first couple preseason games, though, so we could see him thrown right into the nickel package. If so, it will be interesting to see how well off the secondary would be, in the event Will Allen isn't ready to go at the beginning of the season.

Marlon Moore: With Greg Camarillo now out of the picture, the door is wide open for Marlon Moore to steal the final job opening at receiver. He's been pretty consistent in the first two exhibitions, but can't afford to miss a beat if he wants to seal the deal in the final two contest. We may not see much of him tonight, though, if the starters are indeed going to play 75% of the game. That means he's going to have to make the most of his limited opportunities, that will likely come in the fourth quarter with Tyler Thigpen at the helm.

Nolan Carroll: After looking comfortable and confident returning kicks over the past two weeks, consistency will be crucial if Carroll is going to clinch the job. Remember Chris Williams shinning in one game, and totally dropping the ball in the next, last preseason. Also, I'm interested to see if Carroll still runs with the first-team at nickel corner, or concedes those reps to Benny Sapp. Regardless, Carroll is going to get some action tonight, and needs to bonce back after a poor showing last week.

It's been nearly three weeks since my first installment of "Who's In, Who's Out?", and it's fair to say things have drastically changed after two preseason games, a few injuries, and a trade. The Camarillo deal obviously opens the door for Marlon Moore or Roberto Wallace to make the team, and likely solidifies Patrick Turner's spot. Will Allen's unknown recovery time-table from recent knee surgery complicates the matter at corner, and Nate Garner likely missing the first four or so games puts a wrench in the team's O-line plans.

These are just some of the issues that face the Dolphins as we inch closer and closer to the final cutdown deadline. Let's try and clear up the mess a little bit. Just remember, though, this isn't a roster prediction, just my take on what the team would look like if cuts were made right now.

Offense

Quarterback
Projected Possible Cuts: Pat White
Last year's second-round draft pick hasn't thrown a pass yet this preseason. It may not seem fair that White isn't getting any opportunities to try and play his way back on this team, but I think that speaks volumes about how far from an NFL quarterback he currently is, and how much Sparano values winning- yes, even in the preseason.
Out: Pat White

Running Back
Projected Possible Cuts: Lex Hilliard
I think people are assuming that the Dolphins will keep four running backs, just because they did so a year ago. And while they probably would like to keep all four again, simply because Cobbs and Hilliard are both very solid football players, keeping an extra offensive lineman may be of more value with Nate Garner's injury.
In: Lex Hilliard

Fullback
Projected Possible Cuts: Rolly Lumbala
Lumbala never had a chance to make this team, with Lousaka Polite's emergence as one of the best fullbacks in football, and getting stuffed on fourth and short inside the Jags' 20-yard line last week was more proof that the automatic Polite is irreplaceable.
Out: Rolly Lumbala

Tight End
Projected Possible Cuts: David Martin, Joey Haynos, John Nalbone
Outside of Anthony Fasano's monster two touchdown game in Jacksonville, we haven't seen much of anything from any of the tight ends. Judging by what we already knew heading into camp and the preseason, though, Martin has probably already clinched the No. 2 spot, and will play a pretty big role in two tight end sets. That leaves Joey Haynos and John Nalbone the candidates for that third and final job opening. Haynos is undoubtedly leading that battle as of now, and probably has a pretty wide margin to tell the truth.
In: David Martin, Joey Haynos
Out: John Nalbone

Wide Receiver
Projected Possible Cuts: Patrick Turner, Marlon Moore, Roberto Wallace, Julius Pruitt
It's almost safe to say Turner is now a lock, but if Moore and Wallace were to completely tear it up in the next two weeks, I guess you could still make a case for Turner getting the axe. But as of right now, Turner is apart of this team's 2010 plans, and with no Camarillo in town, he should have a fairly decent role as the 4th receiver on the depth chart. Marlon Moore currently has the lead for the fifth receiver job, with Wallace needing back-to-back stellar performances to be reconsidered. In the likely event that Moore continues to hold off Wallace, however, he's still not completely safe because the Dolphins could also delve into the waiver wire to find their fifth guy. But Moore has had an outstanding preseason so far, and is in complete control of his own destiny.
In: Patrick Turner, Marlon Moore
Out: Roberto Wallace, Julius Pruitt

Offensive Tackle
Projected Possible Cuts: Nate Garner, Lydon Murtha, Andrew Gardner
Before Garner underwent yet another foot surgery, it was a safe bet to assume the Dolphins would only keep nine offensive lineman. And while some may still argue that that's the case, it's certainly no longer a guarantee. With Garner likely out the first four weeks, the Dolphins could either continue to let him count toward the roster and sacrifice a healthy player in the process, shelve him for the entire year on injured reserve, or go ahead and cut him and keep someone who will be ready to contribute come Week 1. Considering, Garner is a quality starting offensive lineman, and he's as versatile as they come, I'm pretty confident that Miami will keep him on the team. Because he's out for the first quarter of the season, though, another tackle is almost a must. All indications are pointing to Lydon Murtha edging out Andrew Gardner.
In: Nate Garner, Lydon Murtha
Out: Andrew Gardner

Center
Projected Possible Cuts: Jake Grove, Andrew Hartline
If Grove lost his battle with Joe Berger for starting center, I would have said go ahead and cut Grove and save some cash while your at it. The only problem is Grove appears to be running away with the competition for the time being, starting every practice this week after clearly outplaying Berger on Saturday night.
Out: Andrew Hartline

Offensive Guard
Projected Possible Cuts: Cory Procter, Ray Feinga
Feinga has been cut once already this year and missed some time this week due to a broken finger. Bottom line is, there's no way he makes it through the final cuts. Procter appears to be running out of time in a hurry. Garner's injury likely forfeits Procter's spot up to Murtha, and Procter's mediocre play so far nealry makes tha ta done deal.
Out: Cory Procter, Ray Feinga

Defense

Defensive End
Projected Possible Cuts: Tony McDaniel, Lionel Dotson, Ryan Baker
Dotson had himself a pretty solid preseason opener, but outside of that there hasn't been much shown from these guys. McDaniel's the most proven of the bunch, having seen adequate playing time a year ago, but Dotson had that strong showing and Ryan Baker can play both defensive end and nose tackle.
In: Tony McDaniel
Out: Lionel Dotson, Ryan Baker

Nose Tackle
Projected Possible Cuts: Montavious Stanley
I don't envision the Dolphins even considering keeping three nose tackles at this point, and unfortunately for Stanley, that's what it would take for him to make the squad.
Out: Montavious Stanley

Outside Linebacker
Projected Possible Cuts: Quentin Moses, Chris McCoy, Erik Walden
Quentin Moses' run as a Miami Dolphin may finally be coming to an end. After three consecutive seasons of surviving the roster bubble, the team being forced to keep six corners could lead to Miami only being able to keep four outside linebackers, which would come at the expense of Moses.
Out: Quentin Moses, Chris McCoy, Erik Walden

Inside Linebacker
Projected Possible Cuts: Austin Spitler, Micah Johnson, J.D. Folsom
Iv'e been impressed with what Spitler has been able to do after spending about the entire first week of training camp in the hospital, but Micah Johnson almost jumps off the screen at you. He may lack in the speed department, but he always seems to gravitate toward the ball, which is exactly what you look for from your inside linebackers.
In: Micah Johnson
Out: Austin Spitler, J.D. Folsom

Cornerback
Projected Possible Cuts: Jason Allen, Nate Ness, Kevin Hobbs, Ross Weaver
Last year it was Chris Williams, this year it's Nate Ness. Just like Williams did a year ago, Ness had one outstanding game. Then, things went back to normal the following week, and we were reminded of why Ness is a roster fringe player in the first place. With the uncertainty of Will Allen's knee, though, and with Benny Sapp being brought in on Wednesday, keeping six corners looks realistic. Nate Ness would surely help his cause if he could make a few more plays in the final two preseason games, but still, I see Allen's superior special-teams contribution winning out in the end.
In: Jason Allen
Out: Nate Ness, Kevin Hobbs, Ross Weaver

Safety
Projected Possible Cuts: Reshad Jones, Jonathan Amaya
Amaya let his presence be known on Saturday night with a crucial second-half interception. Even though he hasn't put up a fight battling Clemons, Jones' upside keeps him around for awhile. Amaya is a solid practice squad prospect if he can build off last week's pick, though.
In: Reshad Jones
Out: Jonathan Amaya

The Miami Dolphins starting lineup seems to be clearing up more and more each day. After going into training camp with expected competitions at left guard, center, right guard, and No. 2 receiver on offense, defensive end, both weakside and strongside outside linebacker, possibly cornerback, and free safety on defense, and punt returner and kick returner on special-teams, we learned early on that Brian Hartline was the man opposite Marshall, Cameron Wake was thankfully the team's every-down answer on the weakside, and Will Allen wasn't healthy enough to make a run at Davis or Smith.

The first two preseason games have done a good job of clearing up just about everything else, but we likely have to wait until after Friday night to edge the starting lineup in stone.

Even though there are still two remaining preseason contest, the third game is typically used as a dress rehearsal, and having most, if not all,of the position battles settled is a good way to solidify chemistry and cohesiveness before things get real in a couple of short weeks.

And the final exihibition game usually provides an opportunity for those players on the roster bubble to make their final push to make the team, with minimal reps for starting caliber players. So lets take a look at which competitions are clinched, and which ones still have a little bit of convincing to do.

Clinched-Offense

Right Guard: John Jerry
Early on it looked like the third-round pick out of Mississippi was only getting first-team reps so the coaching staff could get a feel for what he can bring to the table against a first-team defense. Jerry had a few bumps in the road early on in camp, and didn't exactly standout in the team's intrasquad scrimmage, but ran away with the competition in the first two preseason games. He's shown the potential to be mauling run-blocker, and has arguably been the most consistent of any of the Dolphins' interior lineman.

Clinched-Defense

Right Defensive End: Jared Odrick
We haven't heard Sparano name a winner here yet, but judging by how solid Odrick looked in the first two games, it wouldn't make much since to plug in a veteran like Marques Douglas and consequently halt the rookie's progression. Odrick continues to look like a quality NFL starter already, with potential upside that could eventually lead to him becoming one of the top 3-4 ends in the league. Charles Grant may be providing the most pass rush of any of the Dolphins' defensive ends so far, but he is almost exclusively spending time as Kendall Langford's backup on the left side. If he had a chance at unseating Odrick, it would make sense to work him in on the right side.

Strongside Outside Linebacker: Koa Misi
Regardless of which South Florida reporter you side with, when discussing how Misi has looked thus far, he's clearly ahead of Ikaika Alama-Francis. Misi still isn't showing much of a pass rush, but he is good enough at the other elements of the position to hold down the starting job opposite Cameron Wake. Is he starting quality, yet? That's still up in the air.

Clinched-Special-Teams

Punt-Returner: Davone Bess
No, Bess isn't going to break off many big returns, but it's evident that the coaching staff trust him over all the other options. His decision making has always been trustworthy, but he can't afford to muff any punts, or fumble any returns like last season.

On the Verge-Offense

Left Guard: Richie Incognito
Just when you thought the competition at left guard was finally settled, Donald Thomas received some first-team reps in practice this week. Incognito returned to starting duties the next day, however, but it's clear that he probably needs a solid performance Friday night to secure the job. He's as tough as they come, but his mediocre pulling seems to holding him back.

Center: Jake Grove
Joe Berger had the upper hand heading into Saturday night, but Grove may have landed a knockout blow after outplaying Berger pretty decisively. Like I have said from day one, the only reason this is a competition at all is because Grove's costly contract doesn't quite seem worth it when Berger's solid play isn't a huge drop-off. But when Kris Jenkins and Vince Wilfork come to town in Weeks 3 and 4, I don't think there's any question about who needs to be lined up as starting center. That would be Jake Grove, $30 million contact and all.

On the Verge-Defense

Free Safety: Chris Clemons
Well, it's been two weeks since Sparano said Clemons was a solid performance away from writing his name in pen as starting free safety. Some poor tackling in the opener and an invisible showing Saturday night later, and Clemons still hasn't been crowned the starter just yet. Based on the fact Reshad Jones hasn't been overly convincing either, outside of one fumble recovery, Clemons is still in the driver's seat. I expect things to stay that way given how many reps that have been invested in Clemons, but if Jones were to go out and steal the show in the final two preseason games, an upset would possibly begin to brew.  

On the Verge-Special-Teams

Kick-Returner: Nolan Carroll
Yes, Carroll was outstanding in kick-return duty on Saturday night, averaging 25 yards per return and breaking off a 36-yard return, but consistency is in order before we can just hand him the job, in my opinion. Does anybody remember Chris Williams last season? One dazzling display of kick return ability, in one game, had everyone calling for him to make the squad. Then, of course, was the infamous face-mask muff the following week. I'm certainly not saying that will happen to Carroll, but he's not out of the woods yet.