The Miami Dolphins lost to the Cincinnati Bengals this past weekend, dropping them to 0-5 and sending them into their bye week with many questions to answer. The off week will focus on film and adjustments, with the coaching staff hoping to find a way for the team to start winning when they return in Week 7.
One of the biggest areas of concern coming out of the Bengals’ game is quarterback Malik Willis’s play. The Dolphins’ first-year starter has struggled with decision-making and does not seem to see the field well enough. It has advanced to the point that head coach Jeff Hafley had to confirm there are no discussions about benching Willis, who signed as a free agent with Miami in the offseason.
South Florida Sun Sentinel writer David Furones was among the multiple reporters to analyze Hafley’s statement on Monday:
Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley shut down any idea of the team benching Malik Willis during the bye ahead of the Oct. 25 game at the New York Jets.
“We’ve played five games, and Malik is our quarterback,” Hafley said Monday afternoon as to why he won’t opt for a switch to backup Kyle McCord, whom the team traded for ahead of the season as Quinn Ewers, who was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars, wasn’t cutting it in the preseason…
“Malik needs to be better, but that’s not the headline. We all need to be better,” Hafley said.
But he also noted he has seen moments of encouragement.
“There are signs of it,” he said. “There was flashes (Sunday) in that game, especially as I think about that two-minute drive at the end of the half and then some of the things he did at the end of the game where he just looked aggressive and comfortable.”
Welcome to the Splash Zone, a collection of Dolphins stories from around the web curated for you each morning. You can check out the rest of that story, along with all the other stories here:
No QB change for Dolphins after bye: ‘Malik (Willis) is our quarterback’ - David Furones, South Florida Sun Sentinel
The bye week and five-game losing streak to start the season will not lead to a Miami Dolphins change at quarterback.
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Malik Willis
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Miami Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley says Malik Willis ‘is our quarterback’ - Joe Schad, The Palm Beach Post
Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis and the offense need to be better, coach Jeff Hafley said the Monday after a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals to fall to 0-5.
Why Dolphins Coach Is Right in Squashing Idea of Benching Willis - Alain Poupart, Miami Dolphins on SI
Head coach Jeff Hafley has no plans to make a quarterback switch
Dolphins’ Hafley explains why he’s sticking with Willis and what must change - Barry Jackson, Miami Herald
Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley indicated Monday that he’s not giving any consideration to replacing quarterback Malik Willis.
Miami Dolphins overreaction Monday: Consider benching Malik Willis? - Joe Schad, The Palm Beach Post
The Miami Dolphins are 0-5. Could they finish 0-17? Do they have historically bad special teams? Bench Malik Willis? It’s an Overreaction Monday.
Dolphins’ Willis worst QB by most statistical measures. Nuggets on each position - Barry Jackson, Miami Herald
Heading into the Bills-Rams game on Monday night, 19 NFL quarterbacks had started all five of their team’s games. By virtually any statistical measure, the Dolphins’ Malik Willis has been the worst of the 19.
Bengals vs. Dolphins recap
Miami Dolphins 2026 Week 5 Snap Counts Stories: Injuries Cause Shuffling - Alain Poupart, Miami Dolphins on SI
Dolphins needs and bye week
Miami Dolphins, now 0-5, could use a bye week. But will it matter? - Tom D’Angelo, The Palm Beach Post
Chop Robinson was so desperate to celebrate in a season where such moments have been rare, he got off the ground and started mimicking chopping wood as Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow lay there late in the fourth quarter wondering how the Miami Dolphins edge rusher arrived so quickly.
Dolphins hope bye week comes with fruitful ‘evaluation’ that can lead to wins - C. Isaiah Smalls II, Miami Herald
The Miami Dolphins are 0-5.
Miami’s minuscule margin for error will always be the problem - Omar Kelly, Miami Herald
It was one of those “Are you kidding me,” plays that we’ll probably remember for a lifetime, a candidate for catch of the year in the NFL.
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Miami Dolphins will not bench Malik Willis following off week - Marek Brave, The Phinsider
“Malik needs to be better.”
Fins Up, Fins Down | Winners and losers from Miami Dolphins week five defeat - Marek Brave, The Phinsider
Ollie Gordon II shines while Malik Willis struggles.
The Good, Bad & Ugly from the Miami Dolphins Week 5 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals - Marek Brave, The Phinsider
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General Observations and All-22 Analysis of the Willis first passing play.
General:
This game was a disaster for Willis. The All-22 just became available and I am incorporating what I saw on the first passing play. I have looked at two replays on NFL plus using the broadcast view but just started the All-22.
In general, I saw a really good effort by the defense and a great running game. This became a competitive game but could have been the first victory against a good team. I don’t see any way to avoid blaming Willis disastrous play but the game plan did not help
On offense Willis had an average depth of target of 13.6 yards. As in the first week Willis threw more passes over 10 yards than below which is unheard off in the NFL. When you look at week three Willis had the longest ADOT. Joe Burrow by comparison had an average depth of target of 8.0 yards which ranked 15/31 QB who took snaps. Willis threw under 10 yards 40.7% of the time. Burrow threw 75% of his passes under 10 yards. This has to do with the game plan and Slowik should be accountable for it.
Dolphins first offensive possession and Willis first deep pass.
This was the best Dolphins series. Some cynics would say that this was because Willis threw only one pass which went incomplete and the Dolphins accomplished the rest on the ground. The run blocking on Gordon’s first run was outstanding and so was Gordon as he earned 18 yards going to his right leveraging blocks by Kacmarek and Jackson.
Willis first pass. It was a deep pass which traveled approximately 53 yards in the air. The ball fell about three yards ahead of Malik Washington and four yards deep on the end zone. To many this would appear an overthrow and the first of many in a really bad game for Willis. I did not see it that way.
In my view this was Willis best pass and not only because the rest were so bad. From what I see Willis threw that ball exactly where he has to and at the adequate depth.
Washington lined to the right and Coleman to the left when Miller on the backfield. At the moment Willis lets go of the ball his left foot is at the Cincinnati 49. He has a clean pocket with Dulcich effectively blocking the nearest pass rusher. There are three receivers and all three are open.
Miller is the outlet and he is only four yards deep at the 36 running toward the left sideline.
Coleman is running across the field to the right at the 17- yard running towards the left sideline. He has two defensive backs behind him. He is open but it would be a difficult throw because it would need to be across the width of the field.
Washington, the target, is at Cincinnati’s 21 and two yards ahead of the only defender running a go route. He is the clear choice.
Willis throws the ball exactly where it needs to be. Washington is 28 yards away from him. An NFL receiver should cover half the distance of a traveling deep ball. The pass should have been targeted about 4-5 yards deep in the end zone. It landed very close to that.
The problem was that, on this pass, Washington visibly slowed down as he looked for the ball to his left and right. A very good on-target deep pass looked like a complete overthrow.
The Dolphins did not miss a beat on this possession as they went to score but Willis seemed to lose confidence as he missed the next three throws including one interception before his next completion. Wills threw another four deep passes. None were completed and one was intercepted.
This play was really well planned. The question is the selection of Washington over Miller as Willis only completion over 40 air yards was the TD to Miller on week 2. Willis and Washington are on different wavelengths on deep passes,