The AFC has turned into a weekly puzzle, and through four games, there still isn’t a clean answer for who owns this conference. Five teams opened 0-4 across the NFL this season, but after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stunned the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, that number is down to four - and every one of those winless clubs is in the AFC.
That kind of chaos has made Week 5 feel especially important. With two AFC head coaches making major changes in the play-calling department this week, the conference is still sorting itself out, and the latest power rankings show just how much uncertainty remains.
At the bottom, the Miami Dolphins sit at No. 16, and the story around them hasn’t really changed. They have one game left before their Week 6 bye, and for now they remain in evaluation mode. Head coach Jeff Hafley and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan have the freedom to build this team piece by piece, and the bigger question looming is whether Miami becomes a major seller at the NFL trade deadline.
There’s even a little humor baked into the moment for the Dolphins, with the reality that too many other teams are still winless for fans to start dreaming about the future arrival of Jeremiah Smith just yet.
Just above them at No. 15 are the Tennessee Titans, a team that still feels like it’s searching for traction. There have been flashes on both sides of the ball this season, but the overall picture still looks unfinished.
One development worth watching is the growing connection between quarterback Cam Ward and rookie wideout Carnell Tate. The two hooked up nine times in Tennessee’s loss to the Ravens last week, and that chemistry now heads into another big test with the Texans coming to town. Houston enters Week 5 at 0-4, but if Ward and Tate can put together another strong showing against that secondary, it would matter a lot for Tennessee’s direction.
In Other News...
Dolphins May Be Ignoring A Week 5 Mismatch They Need
Miamis offense spent too much of Week 4 watching from the sideline, and the lack of possession time left Malik Willis and Greg Dulcich with far fewer chances to make an impact. Dulcich had flashed the week before, and his role has become worth watching as the Dolphins try to squeeze more production out of a passing game that has not always had enough snaps to find a rhythm.
The next matchup offers a route to solve at least part of that problem, since Cincinnati has been especially vulnerable to tight ends in the passing game. If Miami leans into Dulcich more often, the usage could tilt in a way that better fits the opponent and give the Dolphins a cleaner path to opening up the field for Willis and the rest of the offense. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Get A Crucial Chance To Stop Their Slide In Week 5
The Dolphins return home in Week 5 looking for anything that can stop a four-game skid, and the timing at least gives them a game with some pressure on both sidelines. Cincinnati comes in off back-to-back losses of its own, so this is not exactly a heavyweight meeting between two teams feeling good about themselves. Miami will need to make the most of the chance, especially with the Bengals still working through their own issues on offense.
There is also some uncertainty around Cincinnatis top pass catchers, which could reshape how the matchup unfolds if the Bengals are missing key help at wide receiver. Even so, the betting market is still leaning toward the visitors, with FanDuel Sportsbook installing Cincinnati as a 6.5-point favorite. For a Dolphins team trying to regain some traction, this looks less like a comfort spot and more like a test of whether home field can finally matter again. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Fans Know These Bengals Wins Still Hit Different
The Dolphins meetings with Cincinnati have produced plenty of moments that still linger for Miami fans, from a memorable 1973 playoff game to a series of regular-season wins that helped build a long edge in the matchup. Miami owns a 17-9 all-time regular-season record against the Bengals, and that history has been shaped by standout performances from the likes of Dan Marino, Bob Griese, Mercury Morris and Brent Grimes, along with a few quirky finishes that made the rivalry feel a little bigger than the standings suggested.
Theres also a coaching connection and a handful of defensive plays that still get mentioned whenever these teams line up again, which is part of why the Bengals have never felt like an ordinary opponent for the Dolphins. Miami is trying to snap a two-game losing streak in the series, and for a fan base that remembers the better chapters so clearly, the chance to add another one carries a little extra weight. [Read more 🡒]