The Bengals’ ground game finally had some life Sunday in Miami, and Samaje Perine was right in the middle of it.
After last week’s ugly outing on the ground, Cincinnati finished with a season-high 31 rushing attempts in a 31-24 win over the winless Dolphins. Perine carried the load, leading the team with 14 rushes for 68 yards while also adding two receptions, including a 6-yard touchdown that put the Bengals ahead for good with 11:51 left in the second quarter.
It was a sharper, more balanced offensive performance overall. The Bengals ran it 31 times and threw it 32 times, though two of those passes were Joe Burrow kneel downs after Miami’s last-ditch onside kick failed. Still, the shift was clear, especially after Burrow and head coach Zac Taylor talked during the week about needing more balance following the loss to the Jaguars.
Perine’s 4.9 yards per carry stood out next to Chase Brown’s line: 13 carries for 39 yards. Taylor pointed to Perine’s ability to squeeze out extra yards after contact.
“I think he was finishing an extra 2 or 3 (yards),” head coach Zac Taylor said of Perine. “Got a lot of confidence in Chase.
Sometimes you got two great backs that you've got trust in. That's just the way it can go sometimes, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that.”
That kind of work is nothing new for Perine, but Sunday’s usage may force a bigger conversation during the bye week. Brown has had trouble finding traction this season, and Perine’s heavier workload could lead to a more even split when the Bengals get back to work.
Perine said he feels built for that kind of role.
“I think I am effective whenever my number is called, whenever I need to be,” Perine said. “As the game goes on, I feel like I do become a stronger runner, just because if the defense has been out there for a long time, I feel like I'm wearing on them a little bit.
“I'm a bigger back, so they don't want to hit bigger backs that often,” the 5-foot-11, 240-pounder added.
“I wouldn’t want to try to tackle him,” Bengals center Ted Karras quipped.
Sunday’s performance also fit Perine’s history with Cincinnati. His 14 carries against the Dolphins were tied for his third most in a game as a Bengal, and his 4.86 average was the fourth highest of his Cincinnati career in a game where he logged at least 10 carries. In 2022, he had 22 carries against the Chiefs and 17 against the Titans in back-to-back weeks before the team drafted Brown.
The workload came in uncomfortable conditions, too. The game went down as the hottest road game in Bengals history and the hottest October game ever at Hard Rock Stadium, which opened in 1987.
“I feel fine,” Perine said. “A little tired.
Dehydrated. But I feel decent.”
The value of Perine’s game wasn’t lost on Burrow. After the win, the quarterback praised him as a steady presence in both the run and pass game.
“He's just Mr. Reliable, and he has been my entire time here since he's been on our team,” Burrow said.
“You can count on him to fall forward and get us an extra two. You can count on him to win against the linebacker in coverage.
He's such a valuable piece for us and certainly doesn't get enough credit for it.
“Downhill,” Burrow added when asked why Perine is such a good fit for the offense. “We count on him a lot in protection too on third down to go not just block linebackers, sometimes defensive linemen as well.
And I feel really confident that if I get it to him in space on third down, he's going to go make it happen for us. He's just such a valuable piece for us.”
For a Bengals offense that wanted more balance and got it in Miami, Perine made the strongest case yet to be more than just the backup plan.
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