Heading into the ever important fourth preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons, it seemed almost set in stone who the Dolphins ' back-up quarterback would be in 2018. Brock Osweiler failed to make the most of his opportunities and despite saying all the right things about his performance this summer, his bark was bigger than his bite.

And then everything changed …

Brock Osweiler was given the chance to start Thursday night in what many believed to be a “ do or die ” situation. If he was unable to perform or even show any bit of improvement, he would be sent packing. Fortunately for Osweiler, he played his best game of the preseason, completing 16-of-25 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns.

The result? A critical spot on the 53-man roster.

Let ’ s take a look at how Osweiler forced the Dolphins hand, and made the 53-man roster (for now).

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FILM

First drive

It was clear early on that Osweiler knew his chances of making the roster would come down to his performance against the Falcons. For lack of a better word, he looked bad for most of camp and the preseason. But something changed against Atlanta ' s back-ups. Osweiler looked focused early on and took what the defense gave him.

The first play from scrimmage, Osweiler connects with rookie running back Kalen Ballage, who finishes the run with authority. He knew where he was going with the football the moment the ball was snapped, which led to a nice 12-yard gain.

Here, offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains draws up the same play as the previous one. Instead of looking to the running back, Osweiler goes through his progressions on the opposite side of the field. Again, he goes with the safe throw, finding TE A.J Derby in the middle of the field for a respectable gain.

In this instance, you would like to see Brock do a bit more on third down. Instead of waiting for routes to develop, he checks down to the running back, who is stopped short of the first-down marker. The good news is it ' s preseason, and the Dolphins decide to go for it on fourth down.

Nice play call here from Dowell Loggains, that catches the defense off guard on 4th-and-1. Osweiler sells the run and finds Ballage open for a big gain to keep the drive alive.

On the very next play, similar route concepts to what we ' ve seen earlier, Osweiler hits running back Buddy Howell in stride, who makes a defender miss on his way to the one-yardline for a 27-yard gain.

After two unsuccessful Howell runs at the goal line, Loggains draws up another play-action pass. A poor angle from the linebacker and an accurate throw from Osweiler leads to a 1-yard touchdown reception for Howell. 7-0 Dolphins.

Osweiler was 6-of-6 for 65-yards and a touchdown on the Dolphins ' opening drive.

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Second drive

After a near perfect first drive, Osweiler gets another chance to show the coaches he belongs.

His first throw from scrimmage is a prime example of the Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde that you get with the veteran quarterback. Osweiler can look great one drive, and follow it up with some very bad throws. However, this play seems more like it is on wide receiver Leonte Carroo, who is unable to separate from the defensive back. It also looks like there is some confusion over the depth of the route. End result? A ball that looks more like a rock skipping through a pond. Incomplete.

The very next play, Osweiler comes back to Carroo on the slant. Carroo puts a nifty move on the defensive back to gain inside leverage and the ball is thrown where only the receiver can make a play. Nice throw and catch from two players fighting for a roster spot.

Here is one of the more impressive throws from Osweiler on the night, as he fits a ball between three defenders. Wide receiver Rashawn Scott is shaken up on the play, but that is a big-time throw in a very tight window. These quick timing routes are a staple of head coach Adam Gase ' s offense and something Osweiler prides himself on.

On this play, Osweiler does a nice job of selling the pass. However, instead of squaring up to make the difficult throw to Carroo in the back of the end zone, he throws off his back foot, sailing the football into the stands. He definitely had the right idea, but the ball was just too high for anyone to come down with. Incomplete.

This next play has nothing to do with Osweiler. Instead, sit back and enjoy the vision and shiftiness of Ballage. Another drive, another touchdown for the Dolphins. 14-0.

Late in the game, Osweiler throws a nice back shoulder pass to wide receiver Francis Owusu for the touchdown. The ball is placed where only the wide receiver can make the play. Crisp, accurate throw from Osweiler to cap off an impressive performance.

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Conclusion

With the Dolphins ' recent waiver claim of rookie quarterback Luke Falk, it is anyone ' s guess as to how the roster will shape up in the coming days. In recent days, Gase has said he plans to keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, and as we all know, he has a soft spot for his guys. Whether or not Osweiler is on the team in the coming weeks is yet to be determined. But what he did against the Falcons this past Thursday was impressive, and helped his present and long-term chances of being on an NFL roster. And for Osweiler, the once 4-year $72-million man, that ' s all you can really ask for.