Malik Willis got absolutely hammered by the New England Patriots, taking five sacks in the first half alone during the Miami Dolphins’ 24-19 loss last week. If you watched that game, especially through the rain in Miami, it was a rough showing for a team trying to turn the page into Week 9. What we saw was a ton of vulnerability that the Detroit Lions are absolutely going to salivate over.
Willis Is Holding That Ball FOREVER, And It’s Costing Him
Let’s be real, Willis is holding onto that ball in the pocket for an absurd amount of time. We’re talking 3.05 average seconds to throw, which is the third-longest in the entire league, according to NFL Pro. Is he taking too long to go through his reads? Is he just not trusting what he sees? Or are his young receivers just not getting open fast enough? Whatever the reason, it’s a huge problem. This dude has already been sacked 21 times this season, putting him at seventh most in the NFL. And it’s not just him, the Dolphins as a team have the second-highest sack rate in the league at a brutal 10.3%. The Patriots were in his face constantly, getting to him five times before the half, and you know the Lions saw that film.
Miami’s Right Side Is A Disaster Zone For O-Line Grades
It gets worse. The Dolphins’ offensive line, particularly on the right side, is a massive liability. New England’s nose tackle Cory Durden went absolutely OFF against them, hitting career highs with three pressures, three quarterback hits, and 1.5 sacks. Before that game, he’d literally never recorded a sack in his entire NFL career! That’s how bad it was. Their second-year right guard, Jonah Savaiinaea, is graded 66th out of 75 guards by PFF with a dismal 47.9. And right tackle Austin Jackson? He’s the lowest-graded tackle in all of football at 44.6. That’s not just bad, that’s historically bad. Their run defense also isn’t doing them any favors, ranking 21st in EPA per rush allowed and 24th in success rate allowed. They might not give up huge explosive runs, but teams can absolutely grind them down, as the Patriots’ Rhamondre Stevenson showed with 82 yards on 19 carries.
The Lions Are Licking Their Chops For Week 9
So what does this all mean for the Lions? They’ve got to be absolutely licking their chops. This is shaping up to be a monster game for guys like Tyleik Williams, who’s already having a strong second season, being a force in the run game and growing as a pass rusher. And you know Alim McNeill is going to be a problem, too. He’s already got 31 pressures from interior defenders, only behind the Broncos’ Zach Allen. Expect the Lions’ run game to find some serious success, especially after they just pounded the rock up the middle against the Vikings. The Patriots had a 45.2% success rate on the ground, which was ninth-highest in Week 8, and the Dolphins rank 30th in success rate allowed at 43.9% for the year. Don’t be surprised if Sione Vaki gets a solid workload in this one. The stage is set for the Lions to bring the heat and exploit these glaring weaknesses in Miami. Will the Dolphins clean up their act, or are we about to see a defensive clinic and a ground game masterclass from the Lions? We’ll find out soon enough.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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