Malik Willis finally gave the Dolphins something to grab onto in Week 7.
In Miami’s win over the New York Jets, the quarterback put together his best performance of the season, finishing with 208 passing yards, two touchdown throws and a 66.7% completion rate. The raw numbers were solid enough, but the deeper metrics told the bigger story: a 130.7 passer rating, second among quarterbacks in Week 7, and the league’s best EPA per play at the position, according to Sumer Sports. He also handled pressure well, going 7-of-9 for 138 passing yards, which was a career high under pressure, per NFL’s Next Gen Stats.
That kind of outing is exactly the sort of thing Miami had been waiting for after a rough start from Willis. Through his first five losses of 2026, he had just two touchdown passes against four interceptions and a 57.6% completion percentage, a mark that was only better than Jameis Winston.
But the struggles weren’t all on him. De’Von Achane went down with an ACL tear in Week 3, and the offensive line had already allowed 16 sacks through six games.
Willis was also dealing with pressure on 44.3% of his drop-backs, the highest rate in the league.
Even with those issues, the Dolphins’ Week 7 showing stood out because it looked like an actual offensive plan, not just a survival exercise. Miami leaned on Willis and backup running back Ollie Gordon on the ground, and that rushing threat helped open things up through the air. The result was an offense that looked more dangerous than it had at any point this season.
It also brought back a version of Willis that Miami had reason to believe in. Before this season, he had flashed in Green Bay as Jordan Love’s backup, enough to earn the three-year, $67.5 million contract he signed with the Dolphins this past offseason. In three starts over two seasons in Wisconsin, Willis threw for six touchdowns, 972 yards and no interceptions while completing 79.9% of his passes.
Now, after one strong game, the conversation has shifted. Can he build on it?
The schedule gives Miami a chance to find out. The Dolphins’ next three games are against the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions, and those defenses rank 31st, 27th and 26th, respectively, in play-action passing yards allowed this season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That lines up well with offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s ability to use Gordon on the ground to create space for Willis in the passing game.
None of this erases the early-season mess. The offensive line still has to protect better, and one good game doesn’t wipe away five losses.
But the Dolphins do have something to work with now, and that matters. Success here isn’t about a playoff push or even chasing nine wins.
It’s about giving Miami a reason to believe in Willis beyond this season, especially if Gordon keeps giving the run game a pulse.
Week 7 may have been the first sign of a turning point. The real test is whether the Dolphins can make that level of play feel normal.
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Jets Need Their Offense To Wake Up Before Skid Gets Worse
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For the Jets, the path is pretty clear: get Garrett Wilson more involved, protect the football and hope Omar Cooper Jr. can keep giving the passing game a lift. The offense has been uneven enough that every possession matters, and with both teams searching for answers, New York cannot afford another sluggish start if it wants to keep the season from drifting further off course. [Read more 🡒]