Given the circumstances, it’s fair to ask how Malik earned PFF’s highest QB grade in the 2025 regular season, largely based on his performance against the Ravens in week 17. So I decided to take a look at the game to see if we should blame PFF for our current predicament.
Since we have seen a different Malik, the questions I have tried to answer are:
1. What effect did GB receivers have on Malik’s performance?
2. What effect did GB OL have on Malik’s performance?
3. How did GB’s game plan help Malik?
4. What effect did the GB running game have on Malik’s performance?
To answer those questions, I initially relied on the All-22 but used the PFF grades primarily to review statistics and for comparison. I found that the playing scores in this case were not too far from my own analysis although I thought that the final grade on Wilis appeared too high. (95.2 Grade, higher than any other QB in the regular season).
1. Receiver Effect. Receivers have a big impact on Malik’s performance and the first two throws are an indication.
-On the first pass Willis quickly made a deal with Doubs running a go route on the sideline. The play started at the GB 31. Malik threw from the 24 when Doubs was at the 45. The ball was dropped slightly and Doubs reached for it to make a great catch at the Ravens 35. He ran to the 29. PFF gave the pass 46 yards in the air and 4 after the catch. Malik had a defender within two yards when the pass was thrown,
-There are two penalties before the next game. The next play is from the Ravens 40. The coverage is zone with two safeties. Malik is in the shotgun and gets down to the Ravens 46. He is quickly zeroed in on Watson who is wide open between the nickel and the safety. When Watson was on the Ravens 25th, Malik launched a bullet that Watson jumped to catch at the 18th. Watson faces as he closes the goal line.
In my view, neither of the first two throws was perfect. Neither earned a Big Time Throw designation from PFF and there’s a good chance both would not have been completed if they were thrown to Miami’s current receivers. But by the end of two throws Malik had 60 yards, a TD and a 158.3 perfect passer rating. That appeared to instill confidence in him that carried him through the rest of the game.
2. Effect of the Offensive Line. It is significantly less than I thought. The GB OL seems to have gotten used to the quicker release of Jordan Love. While there were no obvious breakdowns in pass protection Malik was under pressure on 48% of the passing snaps. (Compare against 50% pressure against Cincy). There was only one sack but also a fumble in the exchange which was attributed to the center. The ball hits Malik in the face as he tries to change the game. The Ravens recovered.
3. How did GB’s game plan help Malik? I believe the big difference is that Malik takes about 90% of the snaps out of the shotgun. There are several snaps from the bottom center. In one of them Malik completed an impressive pass across the field that earned a Big Throw Designation. However, when under center, Malik needs more time to find receivers. On the next big play after the Big Time Throw. Malik missed under center to a wide open receiver 12 yards in front of him and instead attempted to throw deep to a covered receiver who fell OOB. The play was called back on a Ravens penalty. After that Malik stayed with the shotgun.
The other significant difference is that the Packers didn’t try to flood zones with multiple receivers. Receivers have good spacing on each throw. Malik seems more confident when picking off receivers.
The surprising similarity is that the Packers scheme six big throws. That’s more than the five deep Malik threw Sunday against the Bengals. Packers Maliks caught six passes. On Sunday, Malik did not complete a pass for 20 air yards. The difference in my view is mostly due to the recipients.
4. Effect of GB Running Game. The running game has a big impact. Two of the three Packer touchdowns were scored on the ground. But the result of the running game was because of Malik. Willis accounted for 60 of the Packers’ 79 yards on the ground and for both rushing TDs. Malik had four runs of over 10 yards including both TDs. With both TDs Malik started the play in shotgun formation.
Summary.
The obvious conclusion is that Malik should take more snaps from the shotgun formation. There is a perception that the shotgun formation kills the running game, but I have seen Gordon get long gains out of the shotgun.
The shotgun helps Malik a lot because he can watch the play develop, A big part of the problem is that Malik takes too long to survey the field and break the pocket before he finds an open receiver.
I believe safer short throws should be schemed. The Packers, while throwing six long passes also threw 12 passes under 10 yards. In this game the long passes yielded good results but mostly because of the Packers receivers. The only good receiver we have active is Washington who unfortunately isn’t on the same page as Malik on deep passes.
I know I’ve said this before but the golden bullet is Malik’s running. That’s especially important when Miami is in the red zone. Against the Ravens. Malik did not attempt a pass into the end zone but did score two rushing TDs. Malik scored an impressive TD on Coleman at the end of Cincy’s game but his forte was the running threat he presented. The Dolphins want to teach Malik to be a good passer in the pocket. That may take some time. Meanwhile Miami has scored just five TDs on 12 red zone trips which is 28th in the NFL.
Guinness Leonard