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The Cincinnati Bengals controlled most of Sunday’s 31-24 win over the Miami Dolphins, but special teams helped make the final score closer than it should have been. That left Cincinnati with a problem that could become much costlier against stronger opponents.
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Locked On Bengals hosts Jake Liscow and Joe Goodberry put the hidden damage at 10 points, citing three mistakes that stalled Cincinnati drives or extended one for Miami. Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II drew a penalty on a Miami field-goal attempt that kept the drive alive before the Dolphins scored a touchdown. Tight end Erick All Jr. added a 15-yard special-teams penalty that moved the Bengals out of field-goal range, and wide receiver Dohnte Meyers caught a kickoff near the sideline before his momentum carried him out of bounds.
Those plays mattered because Cincinnati’s offense had built a decisive advantage. Quarterback Joe Burrow threw four touchdown passes, while tight end Mike Gesicki and running back Samaje Perine delivered early scores that helped the Bengals take command. Liscow said the offense was largely in control, even if it missed chances to put the game away earlier.
Goodberry said the errors have become too familiar for a team trying to push into the postseason. A field-position blunder or avoidable penalty does not always show up as a turnover, but it can erase points just as effectively. The Bengals had enough offensive production to win comfortably in Miami; their special teams made the final margin far narrower.
Cincinnati does not need to overhaul its formula after a road win. It needs cleaner execution from a unit that repeatedly gave back advantageous field position. The next opponent will not necessarily offer the same margin for error that Miami did.
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Bengals News and Notes
– Liscow and Goodberry liked the more balanced deployment of running backs Chase Brown and Samaje Perine. Perine handled a larger second-half role after Brown’s fumble, and the hosts viewed the two-back approach as a useful way to revive Cincinnati’s rushing attack.
– The Bengals still need answers against the run after allowing Miami to rush for more than 200 yards, according to Goodberry. He noted that missed tackles and problems defending outside runs could become more damaging against better offenses.
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This story was originally published October 11, 2026 at 3:51 PM.