Dolphins have been competitive despite 0-5 start but aim for better execution after bye

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Malik Willis didn’t hide his disappointment after last week’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Dolphins quarterback and Miami’s offense struggled for most of the game, but they managed to give themselves a late chance by cutting an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit to seven. They could not complete a comeback, which has been the story of their 0-5 start to the season.

Outside of losses at Las Vegas and San Francisco in Weeks 1 and 2, the Dolphins have trailed by seven points or fewer in the fourth quarter of each of the last three games.

“We’ve got to figure out a way to get guys on the same page,” Willis said Sunday, “because there’s just a lot left out on the field that could be better than what it is. We try to find a way at the end, but that’s just too hard to continue to try to fight back at the end.”

The Dolphins trailed Kansas City by seven early in the fourth quarter in Week 3, but with chances to cut the deficit, Miami was stopped on fourth down on one drive, and Willis threw an interception on another.

Miami’s defense did not give up a touchdown against Kyler Murray and the Vikings’ offense the next week, but a series of mishaps on offense — receiver Chris Bell stepped out of bounds on a potential touchdown, Willis lost a fumble on a sack — stalled momentum.

Against the Bengals, Willis began the game with just five first-half completions before eventually finishing with 137 yards, a passing touchdown and a rushing score. He also threw two interceptions and lost a fumble. And after scoring with 48 seconds left to pull within seven, the Dolphins missed the extra-point attempt and failed to recover the ensuing onside kick.

Willis and coach Jeff Hafley have said they’ve been impressed with the team’s competitiveness despite the roster being made up of mostly inexperienced players — 14 rookies have played in at least one of the first five games, combining for a league-leading 2,192 snaps — but Willis said the team’s youth can no longer excuse a lack of execution.

“It is too much and too hard to keep saying, we’re just young or we’re trying to build this and build that,” Willis said. “At the same time, we got to hold each other accountable because we can’t keep doing this to ourselves. If we’re going to be in games versus good teams, we got to be able to take advantage of it and go and win those games because there’s no point to be in the game if you can’t go and win it.”

Sullivan’s first draft is already paying off

General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has been clear throughout the start of the organization’s rebuild that the Dolphins will prioritize youth and developing the players they draft. So far, his first draft as GM has shown that Miami may have already found some core pieces to build around.

Rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, drafted in the second round, has an NFL-leading 57 tackles through the first five games and has been praised by Hafley for his communication as the defense’s green dot player.

“I think the game’s slowing down for him,” Hafley said last week, “because now he understands his role on defense, he can spend more time studying what the offense is doing, so he can kind of put himself in good position to make plays.”

Cornerback Chris Johnson, a first-round pick, and safety Michael Taaffe rank among the NFL’s top 10 rookie defenders in tackles, and both had forced fumbles against Cincinnati.

The Dolphins’ first selection, No. 12 pick Kadyn Proctor, has been one of the team’s best offensive linemen, using his 6-foot-7, 360-pound frame to create running lanes for a rushing attack that ranks third with 5.5 yards per carry since Week 3.

Miami has also gotten major contributions from rookie receivers Caleb Douglas (113 yards receiving) and Chris Bell (92 yards), who rank 11th and 14th, respectively, among rookies in receiving yards, despite Douglas missing the past three games with an ankle injury.

Dolphins’ tough early schedule is followed by divisional games

The Dolphins’ first five opponents have gone a combined 20-4 entering Week 6, while San Francisco, Kansas City and Minnesota remain the league’s only unbeaten teams.

Miami will face AFC East opponents in four of its next six games, beginning with a trip to face the Jets in Week 7, followed by a home matchup against New England in Week 8, at Buffalo in Week 11 and against the Jets again at home in Week 12.

Hafley said the team will use its bye to get healthy and find ways to improve execution.

“We’re going to roll up our sleeves and this group’s going to work,” Hafley said. “And I know that they’re going to. This is not going to be a group that starts going backward and pointing fingers. It’s not who they are.”

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