Full All-22 for Willis.

I went through the whole game several time and paid attention to the comments made by posters on certain plays like the second interception.

Ultimately, I chose to only chronicle Willis best and worst plays. I did include details about what I saw in each play. Graded plays on a scale of 1 to 10.

Best plays.

1. Touchdown pass to Coleman. 4th Qtr 7:13 left. Shotgun formation, There were some comments in the blog that Willis succeeded in this drive because the Bengals relaxed as they were 17 points ahead. The Bengals never played prevent and actually blitzed on 3rd and goal from the three.

Jackson did not pick up the blitz and the blitzer grabbed Willis left arm around the Miami 15 as Willis rolled out to his right. Primary appears to have been Coleman, who was initially covered but managed to get away and turn around to his right. He has half a step on the defender.

Willis throws the ball from the 15th off balance and with a rusher in his tail. Pass hits Coleman in stride at the end of the end zone. Ball travels around 23 yards. In my view that pass was far better than anything Burrow threw on that game and deserved Big Time Throw Designation. It did not get it but to me it indicates that there might be hope for Willis. Grade 9.9

2. Long Incomplete pass to the end zone. 1st Qtr, 12:50 left. Grade 8. UC, I commented extensively on a separate post and don’t have too much to add. In my view the problem was that Washington hesitated by looking outside and then inside as he slowed down. Only given him a 9 because it was an incomplete but this was a great play scheme and a very good pass. Grade 9.

3. 39 Yard run. 4th Qtr 14:24. This was on 3rd and 15 yards from the Miami 15 with the score 28-10.  It appears to have been a pass play but Willis took off after PP effectively blocked his rusher and opened a lane. Both Bell and Washington helped with down the field blocks. Willis exhibited his speed but slid around the Cincy 45. Had he continued he could have gotten at least 15 more yards and could conceivably have scored. Grade 7 (because of the premature slide)

4. 22 Yard Pass to Tolbert. 2nd Qtr 11:46. This pass only traveled 17 yards in the air. It was on target. Willis looked poised and let go of the ball on time. This is one of the few passing plays where Willis was in the shotgun formation and stayed in the pocket. Hopefully this play offers a blue print for the next game. Grade 6.

Worst plays.

1. Incompletion to Dulcich 5:26 3rd Qtr. This play raises serious questions about whether Willis will ever be able to see the field. There were two wide open receivers on this play.

Willis is lined on the shotgun. It is 3rd and goal from the 11. Bell and Coleman are on the left. Washington and Dulcich are on the right. Coverage is man. Coleman is the primary and is double covered.

 Bell on the left has tight coverage but spins around. His defender drops to the ground and Bell he becomes wide open. Willis however leaves the pocket rolling to his right and does not see him.

Washington is running from right to left has a defender on his tail until he quickly turns around and starts running to his right in the same direction as Willis. Washington’s defender also falls to the ground and Washington becomes the most open receiver in the history of the Dolphins franchise.

When Willis turns towards the end zone to pass, he can see a wide-open Washington and a tightly covered Dulcich. He throws to Dulcich who lets the defender step in front of him. This is a contested ball which could have been intercepted. Part of the blame is on Dulcich who could have fought for the ball but the bulk is on Willis who seems to lose all visibility of the field when he is on the move. Grade 1/10.

2. Incomplete pass to Dulcich/Tolbert on end zone. (Dropped Interception). 7:15 3rd QTR. Ball at the Bengals 14.  Willis on the shotgun again. Gordon had run 10 yards for a first down the previous play and this looked like a run with only Tolbert lined up wide on the left side.

Willis fakes a hand off to Gordon and rolls to his left. Dulcich, instead of blocking goes for a pass. The LB (Knight) holds him but referees don’t see it. Knight falls to the ground and Dulcich still has outside leverage on the safety (Cook). Tolbert running from his left emerges close to Dulcich. I don’t know whether Malik saw Tolbert and changed his mind or the ball gets away to him but instead of throwing the pass to Dulcich he throws a wounded duck in Tolbert’s direction. Cook gets his hands on the ball which should have been intercepted. Grade 2/10.

2a. Sack at the Bengals three-yard line. 3rd Qtr, 6.11. Second and Goal at the 3rd. After the incompletion that should have been intercepted, Gordon ran 13 yards from the Shotgun. On second and goal from the 1 there was a blocking mishap and Gordon gets tackled for a 2-yard loss, On second and goal from the 3 Willis is UC with Gordon on the backfield.

Dulcich is on the left but goes in motion to the right. Tolbert is line up wide on the right. This appears to be an attempted masterpiece by Slowik which went awry. Tolbert cuts to the center and takes a defender with him before turning to his left.

The primary appears to be Dulcich again but he does not get open probably because the Bengals remember what happened a couple of plays ago. As Willis runs to his right there is no one open. However, he has a chance to throw the ball away or maybe at least run. Instead, he stands and takes a sack. Unforgivable. Grade 2/10.

3. Fumble 2:34 in fourth qtr. Second and 10. Not much to say on that one. Miami was down by 10 points but was trying to pass deep, No one open as the pocket quickly collapses. Willis had an opening to run through the middle but instead chose to maneuver to continue to look for a receiver and the ball was batted out of his hands. Grade 3/10

4. Second Interception. 2nd Qtr 5:24 I have read a few interesting opinions about that pass and I have tried to take every comment into account. Willis starts in the shotgun with Miami at its own 29 on 3rd and four.

There is no doubt that Coleman is the primary receiver. Wills is still in a solid clean pocket when Coleman becomes open in front of him past the first down marker.

 For some reason Willis decides to roll out instead of throwing. By the time Willis throws the ball Washington and Coleman’s routes have converged. Safety J. Battle who was covering Washington catches the ball.

The two arguments I have heard are that a) Coleman should have stopped and b) That Washington should have continued on his route. a) is more convincing that originally thought because Coleman became open before Willis started running. The problem I have with b) is that I have no clue on what was Washinton’s route. Either way none of this would have happened had Willis thrown to Coleman who was in front of his eyes. Grade 3.5/10

5. First Interception. 2nd Qtr 10:32 This ball was tipped. Willis started in a shotgun and quickly rolled out. Coleman was running a deep route across the field from left to right and was covered for a while. Jonah S was covering the closest rusher. Kacmarek was wide open for a 5-yard pass but Willis kept looking at Coleman as he rolled out to his right.

Coleman finally got a step on his defender and Willis prepared to throw a long pass when the pass rusher caught his arm and deflected ball which only traveled 8 yards. Battle caught the interception. Grade 4/10.

6.Incomplete long pass. 2nd Qtr. 23 seconds left. Need to set the stage for this one. Last possession of the first half. Miami gets the ball with 55 seconds left at own 20. Willis proceeds to complete three consecutive passes from the shotgun and gets to the 45. Brewer snaps the ball very low and Willis has to fall on top of it at the 41. Miami has to burn the last time out. It is 2nd and 14 at Miami 41 with 23 seconds left.

Coleman and Washington on the left, Bell and Gordon on the right. Coverage is zone with two deep safeties. Willis on the shotgun. Willis does his usual 10-yard drop back but then moves 5 yards up to Miami’s 35 all the time looking at Coleman. Washington turns around at Cincy’s 40 and is wide open but Willis does not look at him. When Willis lets go of the ball, Coleman is at Cincy’s 35 exactly north of Willis. He has a cornerback matching him step and a safety three yards ahead of him. When the ball lands at the 13th Coleman is bracketed and the safety ahead of Coleman has a play. This is a pass which in normal circumstances should not have been throw.

But these are not normal circumstances because there are only 17 seconds left in the half. Had he thrown to Washington and had Washington been tackled inbounds it is doubtful that Miami has the time to kick a FG. This is a partial excuse for a bad pass, Grade 4/10

Summary.

Based on looking at game film I believe Willis would be a lot more effective out of the shotgun. I am going by what I saw on this game and on Willis’s game with GB against the Packers. I was very impressed with Washington on intermediate and short routes. Coleman also made some impressive plays. Even Bell who did not catch a single pass fought to get wide open on a couple of plays.  But at least until Douglas returned the number of deep passes should be cut way down. The active receivers do not have the speed to wide open and there is not enough chemistry to throw timing passes.

Gordon had a great game rushing the ball and so did Willis who at this stage in the season and in his career should be told not to slide when he a wide-open field in front of him.

Gines Lleonart