The Miami Dolphins finally got the result they had been chasing, and Malik Willis was central to it.
After five games in which Miami kept finding itself right there without closing the deal - including two one-possession losses before the Week 6 bye - the Dolphins went to MetLife Stadium and came away with a breakthrough. They beat the New York Jets 28-25 on Sunday, with Willis delivering one of his best performances in a Dolphins uniform.
The former Auburn quarterback accounted for three touchdowns, throwing for two and running for another. He finished with 245 total yards and avoided turnovers, a clean night that helped Miami turn steady competitiveness into an actual win.
“I feel like we could have won the last few games that we played,” Willis said. “We’ve been in them competing, and we just got the result we wanted today. So guys can really be super proud of what they put in, all the work they put in.”
Willis arrived with plenty of attention as a high-priced free agent expected to help jump-start a new chapter for the Dolphins. Through six games, his role has started to look different too - not as a temporary starter, not as a backup filling in, but as the player steering the offense.
Head coach Jeff Hafley, a New Jersey native, pointed to that growth after the win.
“I think that [Willis is] growing,” Hafley said in terms of Willis command of the offense. “So if you look at Malik and now the six games, the body of work - it’s like a sixth game as basically a rookie starter.
So he’s going to learn and we need to see him make those plays. That was actually right down in front of me.
I saw him and it was good. He was decisive today.
He was decisive and I thought he competed today at a really, really high level.”
Miami will try to string together a second straight victory next week, when it hosts the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL.
In Other News...
Auburn Walks Into A Huge SEC Test With Ole Miss Suddenly Shorthanded
Auburns trip to Oxford brings a notable SEC matchup back into view, with the Tigers and Ole Miss meeting for the first time in three years. The timing matters for both sides, too, because Auburn is trying to build on a win over Georgia after a loss to LSU, while Ole Miss is navigating a change in its backfield heading into a game that already carries plenty of weight.
Kewan Lacy will be unavailable for the Rebels after suffering a dislocated shoulder against Texas, leaving Ole Miss with a hole it has to fill against an Auburn defense that will be keyed on Trinidad Chambliss. The Rebels quarterback has piled up 1,926 passing yards this season, so even with the backfield shorthanded, Auburn still has to deal with the part of the Ole Miss offense that can tilt the game fastest. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Could Be Getting A Needed O-Line Boost At The Right Time
Auburns offensive line might be getting some timely help as the season wears on, with head coach Alex Golesh saying sophomore Tai Buster could return to practice and play within a few weeks. Buster has been sidelined by a preseason injury, but he has stayed involved with the team during his recovery, keeping himself in the mix even while hes been unable to get back on the field.
For a line that always benefits from added depth, especially as the schedule tightens, Busters eventual return would give Auburn another option at a spot where bodies matter. He will miss the upcoming game against Ole Miss, but the possibility of getting him back later in the season gives the Tigers something worth watching beyond just the next matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns International Signee Saga Ends With Bigger Questions For The Program
Mantas Rubstavicius will not suit up for Auburn basketball this season after voluntarily dismissing his eligibility lawsuit against the NCAA, ending one of the more unusual roster stories the program has dealt with in recent months. The international signee is now expected to pursue a basketball opportunity in Europe, and he thanked Auburns administration, coach and teammates as the path with the Tigers came to a close.
The bigger issue for Auburn, though, may be what happens around the decision rather than the decision itself. The school also confirmed that general manager Brian Kloman was fired, with reports indicating the move stemmed from a failure to disclose Rubstavicius prior college enrollment overseas, leaving the program to sort through how such a significant oversight occurred in the first place. [Read more 🡒]