The youngest team in the NFL has been playing well against tough competition over the past month but hadn't found the recipe for getting into the win column.
In Week 7, Miami put it all together in a comprehensive road win over the New York Jets. The victory featured quarterback Malik Willis and the passing game's best performance of the season, a physical rushing attack and big defensive plays in critical moments.
1. Passing game comes to life
Malik Willis arrived in South Florida as a free agent from Green Bay, coming off a 2025 season in which he produced some of the most efficient quarterback performances of the year. Sunday in the Meadowlands, it was more of the same.
Willis completed 14 of his 21 pass attempts for 208 yards, averaging 9.9 yards per attempt. He threw a pair of touchdowns and ran for a third while adding 37 yards on the ground. His +0.62 EPA (expected points added) was the highest among quarterbacks in Week 7 entering Monday night's Eagles-Cowboys game and marked the sixth-best quarterback performance of the season by EPA, according to Next Gen Stats.
"He was decisive today and I thought he competed at a really high level," Head Coach Jeff Hafley said. "I thought he got rid of the ball quick. I thought he made good decisions. He took care of the football. He ran when he had it…I'm just really proud of him and how he responded."
The Dolphins converted 5 of 12 third downs and were a perfect 3-for-3 on fourth down. Willis converted a pair of fourth downs with his legs and moved the chains four times on third-and-long situations of 7 yards or more.
One of those conversions was a touchdown strike to rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas on the opening drive. Douglas later helped Miami build a two-score lead late in the fourth quarter with a 63-yard touchdown, his second of the day. He became the seventh rookie in Dolphins history to catch a pair of touchdowns in a game.
Miami's leading receiver was tight end Greg Dulcich, who caught five passes for 86 yards, all in the first half.
The offensive line surrendered just 2.0 sacks, though one came on a designed quarterback run, and helped Miami finish the game without committing a turnover.
2. Bully ball
The Miami Dolphins offensive line is developing an identity that will be music to the fan base's ears: the ability to run the ball week in and week out. Taking it one step further, this team can run the football even when everyone in the building knows it's coming, as evidenced by the final possession of Sunday's win.
Miami took possession, nursing a three-point lead, with 3:17 left in the game. The Jets had a pair of timeouts and the two-minute warning but never got the football back. Offensive Coordinator Bobby Slowik saddled up one of the league's best offensive lines and ran the ball downhill, just as Miami had all game. Running back Ollie Gordon ripped off runs of 14 and seven yards to create a short-yardage situation. Another pair of short runs left Miami with a fourth-and-1. The offense stayed on the field in a spot where a first down would end the game, but getting stuffed would put the Jets right back in it. Willis surged ahead on the tush push to move the sticks and bring out the victory formation.
"I grabbed the offensive line, asked them what they wanted to do, and when I saw the look in their eyes, I was very confident we would get it," Hafley said. "As soon as I saw that there was no doubt in my mind that we would get it. I trusted them."
Hafley's trust came from a month-long sample size of dominant rushing performances. Miami racked up another 156 yards on the ground. Gordon found the end zone for the fourth straight game and recorded his second career 100-yard rushing performance.
The Dolphins now rank seventh in rushing yards per game (131.5). Since Pro Bowl running back De'Von Achane's injury in Week 3, Miami's 153.6 rushing yards per game rank second in the NFL (Tampa Bay, 159.8).
Patrick Paul, Kadyn Proctor, Aaron Brewer, Jonah Savaiinaea and Austin Jackson have given the Dolphins an identity, while Slowik has created a diverse run game that utilizes their unique skill sets.
3. Stingy in the red zone, Chop to the top
The Jets lined up a first-and-goal from inside the 1-yard line in a 21-14 game in the fourth quarter. The next three plays were for loss and the Jets settled for a field goal. Defensive lineman Zach Sieler, who played arguably his best game of the season, broke through for the initial tackle for loss. Then, edge Josh Uche scored his own TFL with his counterpart, edge Chop Robinson, punctuating the series with a third-down sack.
It was one of three red-zone stops by the Dolphins in the win. Two of those drives ended without points thanks to a missed field goal and the second interception of rookie safety Michael Taaffe's career.
Robinson also picked up five more pressures on 23 pass-rush attempts. According to Next Gen Stats, Robinson's 23.4 percent pressure rate leads the NFL through seven weeks.
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