The Dolphins had a chance to make Week 5 about something other than their own mistakes. Instead, the story of the day was a familiar one: offense stuck in the mud, protection not enough, and too many chances wasted in a 31-24 loss to the Bengals.
Miami did manage 24 points, which counts as a season-high. But that number only tells part of the story.
The offense turned it over three times, converted just six of 12 third downs, and repeatedly put itself in bad spots. There were interceptions, fumbles, and even a stretch where the Dolphins had first-and-goal from inside the one-yard line and still settled for field goals.
The Bengals were there to take advantage, and the Dolphins never really looked like they had control.
One bright spot was Ollie Gordon. Losing De’Von Achane to a season-ending knee injury in Week 3 could have shredded Miami’s backfield plans, but instead Gordon has stepped in and become the team’s back of choice this season. He was listed among the winners again here, with the note that Achane and Gordon as a duo in 2027 could be deadly.
Rookie receiver Kevin Coleman also made the winners list after catching his first touchdown pass. The box score wasn’t eye-popping - two catches for seven yards - but one of them was a score.
Bradley Pinion earned a nod as well. After an inconsistent season, he put together a clean day when Miami needed it least and most. He punted twice, once for 59 yards and once for 57, and those kicks mattered on a day when the special teams unit was shaky.
The roughest part of the day belonged to Malik Willis. It was labeled just beyond rough, and the numbers back that up.
Before completing four passes on the final drive of the first half, he was 1-for-7 for 23 yards and two interceptions, good for a 0.6 passer rating. He finished 15-for-27 for 137 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, along with a 51.0 passer rating.
The second half was described as better, though still far from good, and the bigger concern remains whether he is making the right reads fast enough.
Jackson Woodard also landed on the losers side after two defensive snaps that stood out for the wrong reasons. On one, he vacated space and Joe Burrow ran for 11 yards.
On another, he lost track of coverage and Erick All caught a pass for 14 yards. Woodard finished with four tackles, including one for a loss, but the missed moments were enough to put him in that category.
Special teams became an issue almost immediately. Cincinnati opened with an 81-yard kickoff return and scored three plays later on a Mike Gesicki touchdown.
Later, after Miami’s first touchdown, the Bengals had a kickoff penalty because the ball didn’t reach the landing zone inside the 20-yard line. The ball was moved to the 40, then a Bengals unnecessary roughness penalty pushed it back to the 25.
Miami’s defense also had trouble getting off the field. The Bengals faced third down 13 times and converted nine of them. Eight of their first 10 third-down tries became first downs before Cincinnati started leaning more on the clock than the conversion.
A week after recording five sacks against the Vikings, the pass rush backed off sharply. Miami was credited with four quarterback hits - two from Chop Robinson, one from Zach Sieler, and one from Jordan Phillips - but there wasn’t much consistent heat on Joe Burrow. The one sack from Robinson was wiped out by a neutral-zone call.
That led to the bigger question hanging over the day: does Miami need to do something at quarterback? The point made during the game was that this was never really about bringing Tua Tagovailoa back to South Florida.
It was about whether the Dolphins need to spark Willis, because right now the evaluation is trending in the wrong direction. The hope had been that he could show enough to make the team comfortable with him through 2027 and avoid using its first pick on a quarterback next spring.
After Sunday, that plan looks shakier, especially with the season at a point where the team may need to decide if Willis is even the quarterback for Week 7 coming out of the bye.
In Other News...
Dolphins Could Be Headed For A Brutal QB Decision In 2027
The Dolphins are already forced to think beyond a rough 0-5 start, and that means quarterback planning has started to bleed into conversations about the 2027 NFL Draft. With uncertainty surrounding Malik Willis as anything more than a short-term answer, Miami is doing what teams in this spot often do: scanning the horizon for a quarterback class that could eventually reset the franchises timeline.
One name that keeps surfacing is Arch Manning, whose college arc has been uneven enough to complicate his draft stock after once looking like a cant-miss prospect. Miami would still have to weigh whether the long view is worth the risk, especially with the memory of other highly regarded passers who took time to find their footing before settling in as franchise pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Suddenly Face A Trade Deadline Path Fans Wont Like
The early-season slump has already pushed the conversation around Miami beyond lineup tweaks and into bigger roster questions. ESPN insider Adam Schefter recently grouped the Dolphins with the Cardinals, Chargers and Titans as teams that could be worth watching as the NFL trade deadline approaches, a sign that a rough start can quickly change the way front offices think about the rest of the season.
Miami has already shown it is willing to make difficult moves, including dealing Jaylen Waddle as part of a broader set of roster changes. With Arizona having moved Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Texans for future draft picks and the other teams in that group also dealing with their own losses and injuries, the looming deadline could become less about chasing a quick fix and more about how much each club is willing to rethink its long-term direction. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Face A Risky Austin Jackson Decision After 0-5 Start
With the Dolphins off to a 0-5 start, the front office suddenly has a delicate decision looming on the offensive line. Austin Jackson is in the final year of his contract, and Miami has until Nov. 10 to decide whether to move him, a call that could carry more weight because the teams bye week gives it a little extra time to sort through the consequences.
The problem is what comes after Jackson, because the depth chart does not offer much comfort. Caedan Wallace is the most likely immediate replacement, but he has only two career starts, and the other tackle options behind him are even less experienced, which makes any move feel far riskier than a typical deadline trade. [Read more 🡒]