The Cincinnati Bengals might be sitting at 2-2 after a red-hot 2-0 start, but as they roll into South Beach for a Week 5 showdown with the winless Miami Dolphins, it’s clear things aren’t as sunny as that early record suggests. This isn’t just about grabbing a “feel-good win” before their bye week and a huge game against the Ravens. This game in Miami is a gut-check, because the Bengals have shown some serious cracks lately, with injuries piling up and roster weaknesses getting exposed. You’d think a 2-2 team playing a winless squad would be a no-brainer, but trust me, this one’s got layers.
Injuries, Pressure, and Key Returns for Cincy
Good news first, because Cincy fans need it: wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are both good to go against the Dolphins! That’s huge. Getting your top two playmakers back on the field is always a massive boost, and Joe Burrow definitely needs his guys. However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The Bengals just elevated safety Russ Yeast from the practice squad to the active roster for this game, which tells you a lot about their depth situation in the secondary. And speaking of the secondary, safety Jordan Battle is apparently under some serious pressure this week. The word is his missed tackles “have to end,” which is never what you want to hear about a starting defensive back. Some injured players are indeed returning, but others are still being monitored right up to kickoff. This team isn’t exactly at full strength, even with Chase and Higgins back in the mix.
Stale Play-Calling May Be Too Much to Overcome
Here’s the real kicker: all the player personnel stuff might not even be the biggest problem. NFL insiders are starting to point fingers straight at head coach Zac Taylor. The buzz is his offensive scheme has gone totally stale, and it might just be too much for Joe Burrow and the Bengals to overcome. Think about it: you’ve got a franchise QB like Burrow, and elite weapons like Chase and Higgins, but if the play-calling isn’t fresh, isn’t adapting, and isn’t exploiting defenses, then all that talent is basically handcuffed. That’s a huge problem. You can have all the returning players in the world, but if the foundation of your offense is creaking, how are you supposed to consistently put up points against anyone, even a winless team?
Cincinnati would absolutely love to end this first stretch of the season on a high note, walking into their bye week with a win. But overlooking Miami and struggling with their own internal issues, especially a “stale scheme,” could turn that “feel-good win” into a nightmare. They’ve got the Ravens coming up after the bye, so they need to get their act together now and show they can handle business on the road, or that big divisional matchup will look even tougher.
***
Around the League
In other NFL news, it sounds like the Arizona Cardinals are finalizing a trade for wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., according to reports from Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter. Over in London, an Eagles-Jaguars game saw two ejections on the opening kickoff and a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown nullified. The Vikings are reportedly elevating Odell Beckham Jr. with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison both questionable. And there are real concerns around the league about Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, with doctors fearing it’s a matter of when, not if, he re-injures his left elbow.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply