News Article
Published
Oct 15, 2026 at 10:45 AM EDT
Jordan Battle announced his game plan before kickoff, then carried it out.
The Cincinnati Bengals safety said ahead of the matchup that Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis pats the football right before he releases it, and that he’d use the habit to jump routes, according to NBC Sports’ ProFootballTalk. Battle went on to grab both of Willis’ interceptions in a Cincinnati win.
Willis couldn’t place the name when asked about the claim afterward.
“Who said that?” Willis asked.
A reporter supplied the name, and Willis followed with another question: “What number?”
The answer, No. 27, was news to Willis, who hadn’t realized one defender caught both picks. He’d credited one to linebacker Demetrius Knight, No. 44.
“I thought 44 caught one. I thought 44 caught a pick. Either way, you said he caught both? Let’s come on,” Willis said.
His real pushback was aimed at the scouting report. On the first interception, his hand got hit during the throw. The second came on a scramble, rolling right and away from pressure, and ended in Battle’s arms.
“That’s not a tell, he caught tipped balls. Good for him, that’s what defenses are supposed to do at this level,” Willis said. “They battled a ball down and the second one was a scramble drill mishap. That has nothing to do with tells.”
Word of Battle’s comments had reached him before the game. It didn’t register.
“I didn’t think much of it. Everybody pats the ball. That’s funny. Really funny,” Willis said.
Two picks to show for his homework gave Battle the last laugh.
Willis came to Miami after an efficient stint in Green Bay, where he completed 70 of 89 passes for 972 yards and six touchdown passes without an interception over 2024 and 2025.
Five games into his Dolphins run, the numbers look different: a 56.2% completion rate, two touchdown passes and four interceptions. Getting that turnover count under control, pat or no pat, is the next job for Miami’s starter.