Miami Dolphins QB Malik Willis grades: Fast start, slow finish

MIAMI GARDENS ― Miami Dolphins ' Malik Willis was seeking a second consecutive in as starting quarterback in a home game against the New England Patriots . It did not happen. The Dolphins lost to the Patriots, 24-15, despite a 13-3 lead at halftime. Malik Willis was pretty solid but Drake Maye shined in the second half for the Patriots and that made all the difference. The Dolphins are 1-6. The Patriots are 5-3. Malik Willis Miami Dolphins Report Card vs. New England Patriots Arm strength: B Malik Willis showed off his strong arm with a 19-yard completion to tight end Greg Dulcich just before halftime on third down. Willis hung in the pocket and was hit as he threw. It was impressive because at that point WIllis had already been sacked five times in the first half. For a second consecutive game, Willis was more focused on short- to intermediate-length passes. This especially made sense in mostly rainy conditions. With about two minutes left, Willis did connect with rookie Kevin Coleman, Jr. on a 35-yard touchdown pass that brought the team within 24-19. Accuracy: B Malik Willis converted a short pass on second down to move the chains at the start of the second quarter. The pass was completed to Malik Washington. Willis got off to a decent start, completing 5 of his first 6 passes, including a 23-yarder to Washington, who is probably the receiver he trusts most to be in the right place. Malik Willis completed a 1-yard touchdown pass to Malik Washington, capping an excellent 70-yard drive with about two minutes left in the half. Willis handled the drive in an outstanding fashion. Willis was intercepted at the start of the fourth quarter when his pass deflected off the helmet of a Patriots rusher. The pass was intended for Caleb Douglas. Willis had a fourth-quarter interception negated by a defensive penalty by the Patriots. Poise/Leadership: C+ Malik Willis led a drive just before halftime in which he managed the clock well, demonstrated poise and played with confidence and passed with accuracy. The Dolphins chose not to just sit on the ball, demonstrating the increased confidence of their starting quarterback. The Dolphins and Willis were not strong in the second half. It was a bit of a setback after Willis had been quite good for the 1.5 games since Miami's bye week. Decision-making: C+ Some will say Malik Willis should take less sacks, but the sacks he took in this game did not result in significant losses. Sometimes a sack is actually the right play. The key for Willis against New England was to eliminate or at least limit turnovers. Mobility: C+ Malik Willis was sacked three times in the first two possessions of the game and five times in the first half. But it really wasn't Willis' fault as he was under duress very quickly in the first quarter. Willis, playing with a groin injury, was not as big a factor in the rushing game as he had been for Miami in recent weeks. Overall: C+ Malik Willis had a strong first half, but was not quite as good in the second. Willis was not much of a threat with his legs but he was dealing with a groin injury. Willis continues to show glimpses of very good play. He just needs to improve his consistency. Injury report: Miami Dolphins rookie left guard Kadyn Proctor out vs. Patriots Joe Schad: Savaiinaea goes from 8 sacks allowed to 0; Dolphins didn't give up Rising Rookie: Caleb Douglas draws Randy Moss comparison after 2-TD Dolphins game Joe Schad is a journalist covering the  Miami Dolphins  and the NFL at  The Palm Beach Post . You can reach him at  jschad@pbpost.com  and follow him on  Threads  and  Instagram   and  X  at @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly  Dolphins Pulse Newsletter . Help support our work  by subscribing today