Malik Willis — Week 2: Four Sacks, Two in the Red Zone
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 21
Willis completed 14 of 23 throws for 197 yards and a touchdown with no interception and took four sacks, two of them on back-to-back snaps after first and goal at the San Francisco 6. Seventy-seven of the yards and the touchdown came on one throw to Ryan Miller with 2:41 left and Miami down 35–6, in a 35–13 loss to the 49ers.
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Seven to nothing, 49ers, 11 oh nine left in the second quarter, second and goal at the San Francisco six. Malik Willis was sacked for a loss of four, Fred Warner and Upton Stout splitting it. −1.2 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position. On third and goal from the 10 he was sacked again, out of bounds for no gain, by Romello Height: −0.8, and −4.0 points of win probability, the chance of winning the game after the play against before it, the largest loss on any Dolphins pass or run play of the day. Miami kicked a 28-yard field goal. A drive that had reached first and goal produced three points.
The line: 14 completions on 23 throws, a hundred 97 yards, one touchdown, no interception, four sacks for 15 yards; 27 pass plays in all, worth +4.5 expected points. The touchdown accounts for more than that total by itself. Third and four at the Miami 23, two 41 left, 35 to six: deep right to Ryan Miller, 41 yards in the air, 77 yards, +7.0 expected points and nothing in win probability, because the game was over. The other 26 pass plays came out at −2.6, and the other 22 throws were 13 completions for a hundred 20 yards. Before halftime it was eight of 13 for 85; after, six of 10 for a hundred 12. On third down he had 11 pass plays: nine throws, eight completions, five first downs, two sacks. The best of them before the touchdown was third and nine at the San Francisco 43 with three oh one left in the half, deep left to Malik Washington for 23. He ran twice: a four-yard scramble, and two yards up the middle on fourth and one at the San Francisco 31 with 49 seconds left in the first quarter, +1.9 expected points and 6.0 points of win probability, the largest gain on any Dolphins pass or run.
The ball went six times to De'Von Achane, five to Washington, three each to DJ Herman, Greg Dulcich and Caleb Douglas, one each to Will Kacmarek, Chris Bell and Miller. Miami ran 12 plays inside the San Francisco 20 and scored no touchdown on any of them.
Back in June the preview called Willis a watchlist — a declared starter with six career starts behind him, the legs as the whole profile, and a passing efficiency from four relief games in Green Bay that had never been tested over a season. Week 1 was the legs, 39 rushing yards and Miami's only touchdown, next to five sacks and a passing game at −9.2 expected points. Sunday the legs were two runs for six yards, there was no interception, and the passing number turned positive on one throw at 35 to six. Nine sacks in two games, and 26 points. Two games are not the season the preview was waiting on. Miami is home to the Chiefs on Sunday the 20-seventh.
_Data via nflverse._
When Malik Willis's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
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