Jordan Battle didn’t just have a huge second quarter for the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5, he practically put a neon sign on Malik Willis’ throws and then went out and picked him off twice! The Bengals’ defense apparently clocked a subtle tell in the Miami Dolphins quarterback’s throwing mechanics, and Battle, who pointed it out, reaped the rewards in their Sunday matchup.
The “Tell” That Everyone Knew About (Thanks, Jordan!)
Before the game even kicked off, Battle spilled the beans to the media. “He has a slight little tap before every throw, so I feel like we could use that as a key to break on the ball,” Battle said after a Thursday practice. He specifically mentioned how Willis “likes to tap the ball before he throws it, or he takes his hand off, and that gives the read to break.” Talk about calling your shot! The Cincinnati defense, which entered the week with a bottom-tier pass defense ranking in the bottom half of the league in EPA per pass, interceptions, and pass yards per game, clearly needed any edge it could get. This tell was exactly the advantage they were looking for to try and boost their game.
Battle Capitalizes, Willis Struggles
Whether it was pure coincidence or a brilliant exploitation of the tell, Battle came up big. His first interception of the game was actually more a product of the pass rush. Boye Mafe got in Willis’ face, pressured him, and even got a hand on the ball as it was released. That contact shortened the trajectory, making it a playable ball for Battle to snag. But five minutes later, Battle made an even more impressive play for his second pick of the second quarter. Willis was rolling out of the pocket, and Battle left his assignment, stepping right in front of the intended receiver to beat him to the ball. If that “tell” impacted any play, it was definitely this one. At the time of that second interception, Willis’ stat line was brutal: he was 1-for-7 for only 22 yards, meaning he had more passes caught by Bengals defenders than by his own Miami receivers. The Bengals wasted no time capitalizing on that second takeaway, driving down the field for a touchdown on the ensuing possession to take a commanding 21-7 lead into halftime.
Revealing that tell publicly before the game was a seriously risky move by Battle. If Willis and the Dolphins weren’t already aware of the habit, they sure were after Battle’s media session. While they might have found it through their own self-scouting, three days isn’t exactly a lot of time to completely eliminate a deep-seated habit from a quarterback’s throwing mechanics. Now that it’s out there, you gotta wonder how Willis handles it moving forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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