The Bengals may not need a perfect passing game to put the Dolphins in trouble Sunday. In Week 5, Cincinnati has a clear path to lean on the ground game, and Chase Brown looks like the back positioned to benefit most.
That setup matters even more with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins a bit banged up heading into the matchup with 0-4 Miami. If the Bengals want to keep the offense rolling, the running backs could be asked to carry more of the load, and Brown, along with Samaje Perine, could be in line for a big afternoon.
ESPN’s Seth Walder sees the matchup as one that could tilt hard in Cincinnati’s favor on the ground. His prediction is simple: “The Bengals will average at least 5.0 yards per inside zone run,” Walder predicts.
“The. Bengals run inside zone 33% of the time -- second most in the NFL -- and the Dolphins have allowed 4.6 yards per inside zone run, second most.”
That’s the heart of the case here. Cincinnati already uses inside zone at a high rate, and Miami has had real trouble slowing that exact type of run game. Put those two things together, and it’s easy to see why the Bengals could have success early and often.
Brown has shown enough to suggest he can make the most of that kind of opportunity. In a matchup like this, with Cincinnati facing a defense that has struggled to stop inside zone looks, the ingredients are there for a productive day.
For the Bengals, this may be as favorable a running-game setup as they’ll see all season. If the script plays out the way it looks on paper, Brown should be heavily involved, and Cincinnati could spend plenty of Sunday feeding him out of the backfield against a vulnerable Dolphins defense.
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Battle turned that awareness into production, intercepting Willis twice and helping Cincinnati force three turnovers in the game. The safety now leads the league with three interceptions on the season, which only adds to the intrigue for Dolphins observers who are watching how opposing defenses are diagnosing quarterbacks around the league. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Fans Will Love Whos Bringing The Energy Sunday
Miamis matchup with Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon will have a different feel in the booth, with FOX turning to Eric Collins and Mark Schlereth for the call. Collins, best known as the play-by-play voice of the Charlotte Hornets, has already built a reputation for bringing plenty of energy to whatever he covers, and that has made him an appealing name for fans who like their broadcasts with a little extra life.
Collins also has at least some recent NFL experience, having called a game last season, which only adds to the curiosity around this assignment. He may not be FOXs top announcing duo, but Dolphins fans have already shown plenty of interest in hearing him handle another one of their games, and this one should have no shortage of attention before the opening kickoff. [Read more 🡒]