Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins

Injuries noted

Cincinnati Bengals: Brian Parker II (IR-R) — ir; Ja'Sir Taylor (IR-R) — The Bengals placed Taylor (undisclosed) on injured reserve Sunday with a designation to return, Geoff Hobson of the team's official site reports.; Andrei Iosivas (IR) — The Bengals placed Iosivas (thumb) on injured reserve Saturday.; Bryan Cook (Questionable) — Cook (ankle) is listed as questionable against the Dolphins on Sunday, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.; Jalen Davis (IR) — The Bengals placed Davis (hamstring) on injured reserve Tuesday.; Kyle Dugger (Out) — Dugger (quadriceps) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Dolphins, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.; Swayze Bozeman (Questionable) — questionable; Ja'Marr Chase (Questionable) — Chase remains in concussion protocol and will be listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Miami, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.; Tee Higgins (Questionable) — Higgins (groin/neck) was a full practice participant Friday but is still listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Miami, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.; Colbie Young (Questionable) — Young (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Dolphins, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.

Miami Dolphins: Darrell Baker Jr. (PUP-R) — Baker (undisclosed) was moved to the reserve/PUP list by the Dolphins on Sunday.; Storm Duck (PUP-R) — Duck (knee) has been downgraded to out for Sunday's game against the Bengals, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.; Rene Konga (IR); Trey Moore (IR-R) — ir; Cole Turner (IR) — Turner (undisclosed) reverted to the Dolphins' injured-reserve list Thursday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.; Justin Joly (Out) — Joly (concussion) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's game against the Bengals.; Reese Taylor (Out) — Taylor (quadriceps) has been ruled out ahead of the Dolphins' Week 5 matchup with the Bengals, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported Monday.; Kyle Louis (IR) — The Dolphins placed Louis (knee) on injured reserve Wednesday.; Ronnie Harrison Jr. (IR) — The Dolphins placed Harrison (hamstring) on injured reserve Saturday.; Robert Beal Jr. (Out) — Beal (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Bengals.; Jaylen Wright (Questionable) — Wright (foot) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Bengals, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.; Caleb Douglas (Out) — Douglas (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Bengals, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.; De'Von Achane (IR) — The Dolphins placed Achane (knee) on injured reserve Monday.; Jackson Woodard (Questionable) — Woodard suffered an ankle injury during Sunday's 15-10 loss to the Vikings.

QUARTERBACK

• Joe Burrow is the projected starting quarterback for CIN

  7.46 Y/A

  Through 4 games in 2026, Joe Burrow threw for 1171 passing yards, completed 71.3% of his passes and averaged 7.46 yards per attempt. Last season over 8 games he threw for 1809 yards, completed 66.8% and averaged 6.99 yards per attempt, 17-5 touchdowns to interceptions. This season's 7-3 touchdown-to-interception line is 4 games in.

• Malik Willis is the projected starting quarterback for MIA

  6.91 Y/A

  Through 4 games in 2026, Malik Willis threw for 712 passing yards, completed 56.3% of his passes and averaged 6.91 yards per attempt. Last season over 4 games he threw for 422 yards, completed 85.7% and averaged 12.06 yards per attempt, 3-0 touchdowns to interceptions. This season's 1-2 touchdown-to-interception line is 4 games in.

TRENCHES

• MIA: 4.52 yards per rush attempt to CIN's 3.42

  1.1 Y/C

  CIN is at 3.42 yards per rush attempt over 4 games; MIA is at 4.52 over 4 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 10. Last season CIN was at 4.14 over 17 games and MIA at 4.64 over 17 games.

• MIA: 104 rushing yards per game to CIN's 74.3

  29.8 YPG

  CIN is at 74.3 rushing yards per game over 4 games; MIA is at 104 over 4 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 10. Last season CIN was at 93.6 over 17 games and MIA at 120.2 over 17 games.

PASS RUSH

• CIN: 3.5 sacks recorded per game to MIA's 1

  2.5 SACKS

  Cincinnati is getting home 3.5 times a game through four games, while Miami has only 1, so one defense is living in the backfield and the other rarely touches the quarterback. Four games is a short sample and the sheet does not show which lines either side faced. Sack rates can move quickly as opponents change. For this game, the pressure gap points toward Cincinnati's defense creating more negative plays in Miami.

PACE & SCRIPT

• CIN: 24.3 points per game to MIA's 11.5

  12.8 PPG

  Cincinnati scores about what it did last season, 24.4 over 17 games, so their 24.3 looks real. Miami is the story: 11.5 over four games after 20.4 last season, a sharp drop. Four games is a short window, and Miami's offense likely sits somewhere between those two numbers. A bettor can lean on Cincinnati's steady scoring and be cautious assuming Miami stays this low.

• CIN: 62.3 offensive plays per game to MIA's 52.5

  9.8 PLAYS

  CIN is at 62.3 offensive plays per game over 4 games; MIA is at 52.5 over 4 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 10. Last season CIN was at 62.2 over 17 games and MIA at 55.8 over 17 games.

• CIN: 30:49 time of possession per game to MIA's 27:38

  3:11 TOP

  CIN is at 30:49 time of possession per game over 4 games; MIA is at 27:38 over 4 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 10. Last season CIN was at 30:08 over 17 games and MIA at 28:57 over 17 games.

• CIN: 21.3 points allowed per game to MIA's 25.3

  4 PPG

  CIN is at 21.3 points allowed per game over 4 games; MIA is at 25.3 over 4 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 10. Last season CIN was at 28.9 over 17 games and MIA at 24.9 over 17 games.

TURNOVERS

• CIN: 1.25 takeaways per game to MIA's 0.75

  0.5 TO

  Cincinnati forces 1.25 takeaways a game, Miami 0.75, both across four games. Turnovers are among the streakiest numbers in the sport, and a gap of half a takeaway a game over four weeks is a couple of plays. Expect both to move toward each other. Treat Cincinnati's edge as a small tilt rather than something to build a whole view of this game around.

EXPLOSIVE PLAYS

• CIN: 5.65 yards per play to MIA's 5.15

  0.5 Y/P

  Cincinnati is up to 5.65 from 5.23 last season, with Joe Burrow spreading 20-plus gains across three different receivers last game. Miami is down to 5.15 from 5.4, and its only explosive play last time was a 53-yard Ollie Gordon II run. Four games is a short sample, but Burrow's passing creating chunk plays against a Miami offense relying on one long run points to Cincinnati controlling the pace.

RED ZONE

• CIN: 30.8% red-zone scoring allowed to MIA's 64.7%

  33.9 PP

  CIN is at 30.8% red-zone scoring allowed over 4 games; MIA is at 64.7% over 4 games. Those are what each defense has allowed in this season's games through Oct 10.

MISMATCH

• CIN: 277.5 pass yards a game to MIA's 163.5

  277.5 VS 163.5

  Cincinnati is throwing for 277.5 a game to Miami's 163.5 over 4 games. Both teams have moved from last season: Cincinnati was at 235.6 and Miami at 180.5, so the gap is wider now than a full year said it should be. Expect it to narrow some, with Miami's passing likely to creep back toward last year. Miami has to win with the run and clock control at home, and a bettor should ask whether this gap prices Miami too low.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

• CIN lead the series with MIA since 2025

  1-0 SERIES

  One meeting, and it was a rout: Cincinnati won 45-21 in Miami on Dec 21. A single game is a thin read on how this matchup goes, but the Bengals put up 45 on the road in the same building where this one is played.

REPLACEMENT

• Storm Duck (CB) is pup-r for MIA

  PUP-R

  Duck was downgraded to out with a knee injury for Sunday against Cincinnati, a late move after he'd been on the path back from the physically unable to perform list. Miami loses a cornerback against the Bengals receivers, and a late downgrade like this can catch a line that hasn't fully adjusted.

• De'Von Achane (RB) is on injured reserve for MIA

  IR

  The Dolphins placed De'Von Achane on injured reserve Monday with a knee injury, per a Sep 28 report. IR keeps Achane out for at least several games, including this matchup with Cincinnati. Miami's run game has to go through other backs, so lean on the Dolphins' depth chart, not past Achane-driven numbers, when sizing up Miami's rushing lines.

• Jalen Davis (CB) is on injured reserve for CIN

  IR

  The Bengals put cornerback Jalen Davis on injured reserve Tuesday, Sep 29, with a hamstring injury. IR rules him out for the trip to Miami. A depth corner going down thins the secondary, and that matters most when an offense spreads out and forces backups onto the field, so keep an eye on how Cincinnati handles nickel and dime looks.

PRACTICE REPORT

• Kyle Dugger

  Out

  Quadricep · Did not practice · Out

• Robert Beal Jr.

  Out

  Hamstring · Did not practice · Out

• Reese Taylor

  Out

  Quadricep · Did not practice · Out

• Caleb Douglas

  Out

  Ankle · Did not practice · Out

• Justin Joly

  Out

  Concussion · Did not practice · Out

• Jackson Woodard

  Questionable

  Ankle · Limited practice · Questionable

• Kenneth Grant

  Questionable

  Toe · Full practice · Questionable

• Jaylen Wright

  Questionable

  Foot · Limited practice · Questionable

• Swayze Bozeman

  Questionable

  Groin · Full practice · Questionable

• Bryan Cook

  Questionable

  Ankle · Full practice · Questionable

• Ja'Marr Chase

  Questionable

  Concussion · Full practice · Questionable

• Tee Higgins

  Questionable

  Groin, Neck · Full practice · Questionable

• Colbie Young

  Questionable

  Knee · Limited practice · Questionable

• B.J. Hill

  DNP

  Did not practice

• Dexter Lawrence II

  DNP

  Did not practice

• Tucker Addington

  LP

  Limited practice

• Jonathan Allen

  LP

  Limited practice

• Barrett Carter

  FP

  Full practice

• Jordan Battle

  FP

  Full practice

• JuJu Brents

  FP

  Full practice

• Austin Jackson

  FP

  Full practice

• Chris Bell

  FP

  Full practice

• Dante Trader Jr.

  FP

  Full practice

• Dalton Risner

  FP

  Full practice

SITUATIONAL

• CIN: 277.5 team passing yards per game to MIA's 163.5

  114 YPG

  Cincinnati moves the ball through the air at a far higher clip than Miami, and that gap shapes this game. The Bengals were already at 235.6 last season, so 277.5 over four games is a step up from a passing team. Miami has dropped from 180.5 last season, which is a bigger red flag over four games. Expect Cincinnati to set the tempo through the air, with Miami needing a different script to stay close.

• CIN: 75% fourth-down conversion rate to MIA's 16.7%

  58.3 PP

  Cincinnati converts three of every four fourth-down tries, while Miami has turned only one in six into a first down over 4 games. Fourth-down attempts are a small handful per team, so a couple of plays swing these rates hard. Cincinnati was at 70% last season, so its number looks like who it is, while Miami was at 47.8% and should drift back up. In a game with Miami at home, the bigger question is whether Miami keeps going for it on short fields given how rarely it has worked.

• CIN: 20.8 first downs per game to MIA's 13.3

  7.5 FD

  CIN is at 20.8 first downs per game over 4 games; MIA is at 13.3 over 4 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 10. Last season CIN was at 20.7 over 17 games and MIA at 17.1 over 17 games.

• CIN (2-2) at MIA (0-4)

  -67 PT GAP

  Miami is 0-4, has lost 4 straight and is 55 points in the hole, so the record fits the play. Cincinnati has dropped 2 straight but is still +12, which says the 2-2 undersells them a little. The Dolphins have played only one home game. A bettor can lean on the differential gap here, since a losing streak with a positive margin tends to cool off.

• CIN: 45.3% third-down conversion rate to MIA's 38%

  7.3 PP

  CIN is at 45.3% third-down conversion rate over 4 games; MIA is at 38% over 4 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 10. Last season CIN was at 43.4% over 17 games and MIA at 34.9% over 17 games.

• CIN: 6.6 yards per pass attempt to MIA's 5.6

  1 Y/A

  CIN is at 6.6 yards per pass attempt over 4 games; MIA is at 5.6 over 4 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 10. Last season CIN was at 5.81 over 17 games and MIA at 6 over 17 games.

STREAK

• MIA has lost 4 straight

  L4

  Miami has lost all four games so far this season. The sheet does not show who those losses came against, so it is hard to say how much of it is the schedule. Four games is an early read, and streaks like this tend to break at some point. Against Cincinnati at home, the useful question is whether the line has already priced in the 0-4 start more than the play deserves.

AFTER GARY

• CIN -7 → -7

  NO MOVE

  Gary's number was -7; the same book now shows -7.