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The scoreboard delivered another defeat, but Miami’s 31-24 loss to Cincinnati was not without useful evidence. The Dolphins finally created sustained offense, yet familiar mistakes kept the encouraging signs from changing the result.
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The Good
Good: The rushing attack looked legitimate. Miami ran for 217 yards on 34 attempts. Ollie Gordon II supplied 88 yards and a touchdown, Malik Willis added 74 yards and the Dolphins averaged 6.4 yards per carry. That production gives the coaching staff a clear foundation entering the bye.
Good: The offense reached a season high. Miami scored 24 points after averaging 11.5 through four games. The Dolphins produced 23 first downs, converted seven of 13 third downs and scored touchdowns on three of four red-zone trips.
Good: Young receivers contributed.Kevin Coleman Jr. caught his first NFL touchdown and made a 23-yard reception on the final scoring drive. Malik Washington led the team with six catches. Their development matters for an offense searching for long-term answers.
Good: The team kept competing. Miami trailed 28-10 late in the third quarter but pulled within seven in the final minute. The comeback did not change the outcome, but it prevented the game from becoming another lopsided defeat and showed that the roster remained engaged.
Not So Good
Not so good: Three turnovers were decisive. Willis threw two interceptions and lost a fumble. Cincinnati converted the first-half interceptions into control of the game, and the late fumble allowed the Bengals to add a field goal.
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Not so good: Special teams created an immediate crisis. Dohnte Meyers’ 81-yard opening kickoff return gave Cincinnati the ball at Miami’s 10. The Bengals scored less than a minute into the game. Riley Patterson later missed an extra point, and the final onside kick sailed out of bounds.
Not so good: The pass rush disappeared. Joe Burrow was not sacked. He completed passes to nine receivers and threw four touchdowns, allowing Cincinnati to control third down and the red zone without relying on explosive yardage totals.
Not so good: Miami still has not led this season. Even on its best scoring day, the Dolphins never moved in front. Cincinnati answered Miami’s first touchdown and carried a 21-7 advantage into halftime.
The good developments are meaningful, especially the running game and rookie production. The bad developments are more urgent. Miami cannot turn improvement into wins until it protects the ball, begins games cleanly and makes quarterbacks uncomfortable.
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This story was originally published October 11, 2026 at 3:23 PM.