This story was originally published October 11, 2026 at 5:13 PM.<\/p>\n
On a day that Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis threw two interceptions and lost a fumble and again generally struggled, coach Jeff Hafley said the turnovers are not acceptable and made clear the team\u2019s sputtering passing game must be better.<\/p>\n
Willis at times has shown an aversion for check-downs and instead has attempted riskier or unwise throws, something that happened multiple times in Sunday\u2019s 31-24 loss to Cincinnati.<\/p>\n
Asked if Willis needs to develop more consistency on taking, and executing, \u201csimple safe plays,\u201d Hafley said: \u201cI have to assess the film and I\u2019ll have a clear answer for you tomorrow. He made some splash plays with his feet. I will say this: We will need more consistency in our pass game in general for all 11 players to be better in order for us to take the next step.\u201d<\/p>\n
Willis orchestrated two late TD drives and finished 15 for 27 for 137 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, equal to a poor 51 passer rating. He also ran eight times for 74 yards and a touchdown.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t turn the ball over three times,\u201d Hafley said, referring to Willis\u2019 two picks and a costly fourth-quarter fumble. \u201cYou are never going to win a game turning the ball over three times. And we get down to the 1-yard line, you\u2019ve got to score.\u201d<\/p>\n
Willis took an unnecessary sack on that series when Miami went backwards, and settled for a field goal, after getting to the Bengals 1.<\/p>\n
How do you improve turnovers?<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to look hard at that during the bye week,\u201d Hafley said. \u201cWe talk about ball security all the time. We work on it. We\u2019ve got to do a better job of putting him in those situations, and he\u2019s got to have the awareness to protect the ball as well. We\u2019re not going to win games if we\u2019re fumbling the ball like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
WSVN\u2019s Josh Moser said several players said the game plan was good, but they couldn\u2019t execute it well enough.<\/p>\n
Asked by Moser why it\u2019s not translating, Hafley said: \u201cThat\u2019s a broad statement. I appreciate our guys saying that and not pointing the finger. They\u2019re putting it on themselves. I think coaches need to put it on themselves too. I think everybody in that locker room needs to put it on themselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat shows a lot with the guys saying the plan was right. Clearly, it\u2019s both. The plan needs to be better, the execution needs to be better. Just not good enough to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hafley addressed other issues, as the team heads into its bye week:<\/p>\n
\u25aa On injuries: \u201cWe got pretty beat up out there today.\u201d He had no update on guard Jonah Savaiinaea, who was the only injured Dolphins player who didn\u2019t return to the game. (Jordyn Brooks and JuJu Brents returned).<\/p>\n
\u25aa On another special teams failure: \u201cYou can\u2019t open up the game and have a kickoff return go down within the 10-yard line. That\u2019s a tough way to spot them seven points We kept having self inflicted moments that weren\u2019t good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u25aa He said the bye week will be \u201ca good time to get healthy\u201d and \u201cwill be a good time to look hard and evaluate the players, evaluate how we\u2019re coaching, the scheme, what certain guys can do and go back to work.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u25aa Asked if Ollie Gordon II (who ran 18 times for 88 yards) has established himself as the lead back, Hafley said: \u201cI am extremely proud of how he\u2019s played, how hard he\u2019s run. He\u2019s taken a big step in his career. I give the offensive line credit. They did a really good job against a very good front.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jaylen Wright had another underwhelming game (six carries, 11 yards).<\/p>\n
\u25aa On what he wants to see from his team after the bye: \u201cI want to see more consistency. I want to see better execution. I want to see the same fight.. energy, connection. [But] we need to execute better. That\u2019s not just talking about the players. That\u2019s everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u25aa On his team at 0-5: \u201cThere\u2019s some positives and some negatives. Ultimately, we haven\u2019t won, so we need to be better.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u25aa On the two TDs caught against Jacob Rodriguez: \u201cThe tight end [Mike Gesicki] did a really nice job going in and whipping back out. I\u2019ll look closer on the second [TD pass, to Samaje Perrine], an angle route. We should have been inside out. I\u2019ll look back to see if we can help him more, where his help was.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u25aa On Ja\u2019Marr Chase\u2019s incredible 45-yard TD catch that made it a 28-10 game: \u201cWe were right there. I thought we would go up and make a play. I thought the guys did a pretty good job on Ja\u2019Marr all day. He\u2019s the best receiver in our league. We were right there. That was a heck of a catch he made.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u25aa Asked about the team\u2019s identity, he said essentially: \u201cWe\u2019re a tough physical team\u201d but that everybody needs to execute better.<\/p>\n
\u25aa Asked how to keep spirits up on an 0-5 team, Hafley said: \u201cWe\u2019ve got really, good guys. I don\u2019t think that\u2019s going to be an issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s my piece<\/a> on eight issues that Hafley and Jon-Eric Sullivan must discuss and what I would do.<\/p>\n This story was originally published October 11, 2026 at 5:13 PM.<\/p>\n
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