The Cincinnati Bengals would love nothing more than to end the first stretch of the season on a high note with a win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 5.
Joe Burrow and the Bengals, after all, head to a bye week right after that road encounter. Doing so on a three-game skid at 2-3 would not be ideal, to put it lightly.
One could suggest the Dolphins are a good get-right game. They’re 0-4, after all. But as fans probably know, those get-right games in Cincinnati can tend to turn into trap games instead. They might be winless, but the Dolphins just went into Minnesota and only lost 15-10 to an undefeated Vikings club, so they’re rounding into some sort of form.
Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis might have one touchdown and two interceptions with 11
sacks through four games, but his ground game averages 4.3 yards per carry. Ollie Gordon averages 5.1 yards per tote with two scores and wideout Malik Washington has four catches of 20-plus yards so far.
Given the Bengals’ sudden immense struggles to tackle again, among other defensive problems, the Dolphins are likely to target problem areas like linebacker Demetrius Knight and safety Jordan Battle often.
The good news, as usual for the Bengals, is Burrow’s offense. Star wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are both dealing with injuries going into the game. But even if they’re limited, role players like rookie Colbie Young, Dohnte Meyers and even Mitch Tinsley have shown capable of making the necessary plays.
Provided the Bengals don’t let this one devolve into the shootout as the defense does its 2025 impersonation again, it should be a pretty comfortable win for the Bengals. For all its faults, a defense with 14 sacks (third-highest), led by Dexter Lawrence’s three, should make Willis uncomfortable enough to force some turnovers while Burrow’s offense cruises.
Prediction: Bengals 28, Dolphins 17
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Final score predictions for Bengals vs. Dolphins in Week 5
