IF NOT LAST WEEK, MAYBE THIS WEEK

At 0–4, the Miami Dolphins are well past the point of needing encouraging signs—they need a win. Cincinnati arrives at 2–2 but could be without its three leading receivers, with Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Colbie Young all listed as questionable. Joe Burrow, however, will be looking to end a two-game slide. The Dolphins have shown flashes without turning them into four-quarter football. From a fan’s point of view, Sunday has to be the day those flashes become a complete performance.

Five Keys for the Dolphins to Win

1. Make Burrow move before he wants to.

Miami cannot allow Joe Burrow to settle into a clean, rhythm-based passing game. Given half a chance, he will find the open man. If Chase, Higgins and Young cannot play, Cincinnati may have to beat Miami methodically with a short-to-intermediate passing attack. Higgins had a big game last week, but if he is unavailable, the Bengals will have to lean more heavily on Dohnte Meyers, Chase Brown and Mike Gesicki, all of whom were productive despite the defeat at the hands of the Jaguars. With the deep threat potentially reduced, Miami has an opportunity to crowd the middle of the field, disrupt timing and make completions harder to come by.

2. Cut down on penalties.

Last week, there were too many mistakes and untimely penalties that erased opportunities and took points off the scoreboard. Miami must clean that up because there is very little margin for error when points are already hard to come by. This is a young team, so some mistakes are inevitable, but we need to see progression rather than regression. Staying ahead of the chains, avoiding pre-snap errors and refusing to give Cincinnati free first downs would make life much easier for both the offense and defense.

3. Win the field-position battle.

Special teams need to improve significantly. Miami must find players who can tackle reliably in space, maintain lane discipline and close down return opportunities. The team has been churning the bottom of the roster, which at least suggests the coaches recognise the problem, but greater continuity could also help the unit. Whether the root cause is coaching, scheme, personnel or a mixture of all three, the repeated long returns must stop. Poor field position was one of the reasons Miami lost to Minnesota, effectively gifting the Vikings six points. The Dolphins cannot keep handing Cincinnati a short field.

4. Finish drives with touchdowns.

Field goals will not be enough against Burrow, even if he has a depleted supporting cast. Miami must treat every trip inside the 20-yard line as an opportunity to take command, not merely add three points. Bobby Slowik needs to be creative and introduce a few wrinkles. Getting Greg Dulcich involved would be a good start: he finished last season strongly, but that form has not yet carried into 2026. Perhaps this will be his breakout game. It was also interesting to hear that Willis would rather operate as a pocket passer. That is slightly puzzling because his ability to take off has brought success and gives the defense an extra dimension to consider. Designed movement and selective scrambling could be decisive near the goal line.

5. Commit to the running game.

Ollie Gordon showed that he can run effectively when given the opportunity. He is not De’Von Achane, but he made the most of his nine carries against Minnesota—and nine attempts are nowhere near enough for a back capable of wearing down a defence. The Miami offensive line, particularly on the left side, is equipped to lean on the Bengals’ front and create larger openings later in the game. A productive rushing attack would help Miami control possession, protect Willis and keep Burrow on the sideline. If the Dolphins remain patient rather than abandoning the run at the first setback, they can keep the contest close and maybe—just maybe—sneak the win.

Cincinnati deserves to be favourites, but this feels like the sort of backs-against-the-wall game in which Miami can finally respond. If the Dolphins stay disciplined, establish Gordon, improve on special teams and make Burrow work without a full-strength receiving corps, Hard Rock Stadium can become a genuine advantage.