Dolphins Malik Willis throws 2 interceptions in first half vs Bengals

The Miami Dolphins' Malik Willis struggled mightily in the first half of their Week 5 home game against the Cincinnati Bengals, ultimately throwing two interceptions that proved costly for the team. Going into the matchup, Willis had expressed concerns about his own performance leading up to the game. However, his struggles only intensified as the first half unfolded.

Willis completed only 5 of his 12 passes for a mere 60 yards and two interceptions. The first of those turnovers set the stage for one of the Bengals' three touchdowns of the game, as Joe Burrow connected with tight end Tanner Hudson for a 2-yard scoring strike with just 55 seconds remaining in the half. The interception not only gave the Bengals a significant lead, but it also marked the lowest quarterback rating of Willis' career at just 18.1.

The two interceptions came after Willis initially struggled, missing his first four passes, three of which were overthrows. The first successful throw came with 11:40 left in the second quarter, but Willis was unable to maintain that level of play, tossing picks on his following two attempts. Safety Jordan Battle was the primary culprit, intercepting the ball on the second interception before stepping in front of Dolphins' wide receiver Kevin Coleman to secure the pick.

Battle himself had noted during the week that Willis had a tell, tapping the ball before each throw.

Despite Willis's dismal performance, the Dolphins would still manage to hold on for a 21-7 victory over the Bengals.