When the NFL schedule was released back in the spring, it looked as though Sunday’s Cincinnati Bengals home game against the Miami Dolphins would mark the return of a certain eccentric, former wide receiver.

But Chad Johnson struggled on the field and ran into trouble off it with his arrest for domestic abuse, leading Dolphins first-year coach Joe Philbin to cut him before the end of training camp.

But the game still will be a homecoming of sorts for one Miami receiver as former Ohio State wide receiver Brian Hartline returns to the Buckeye State fresh off the greatest game of his four-year career. Sunday at Arizona, Hartline caught 12 passes for 253 yards and a touchdown in a 24-21 overtime loss to the Cardinals.

It was the second consecutive overtime loss for Miami, coming on the heels of a 23-20 setback at home against the New York Jets.

OFFENSE

The emergence of Hartline has coincided with the arrival of rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill as the duo have the Dolphins ranked 9^th in the NFL in total offense at 397 yards per game.

Tannehill has completed 80 of 143 passes for 1,046 yards and two touchdowns with six interceptions. Hartline has caught 25 of those passes for an NFL-leading 455 yards, while Davone Bess has 20 catches for 297 yards.

The passing game ranks 19^th in the NFL with an average of 243.8 yards per game.

The Dolphins’ running game, led by Reggie Bush, ranks 5^th in the NFL at 153.3 ypg. Bush has carried 69 times for 369 yards (5.5 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. He ranks sixth in the NFL in rushing.

DEFENSE

The Dolphins are a defensive dichotomy. Their rush defense ranks No. 1 in the NFL, allowing 56.8 yards per game, while the pass defense is 30^th, surrendering 297.8 ypg. As a result, the Miami defense ranks near the middle of the pack at 16^th in total defense.

The Dolphins are led by ninth-year middle linebacker Karlos Dansby, one of five active NFL players with at least 30 sacks and 11 interceptions in their career.

Fourth-year defensive end Cameron Wake, a Pro Bowler in 2010, is coming off a 4.5-sack game against Arizona. He owns 21 career sacks in road games, second most in the NFL since 2009 behind Dallas’ Demarcus Ware.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker Dan Carpenter is 5-of-8 on field goal tries this year with a long of 41. Punter Brandon Fields ranks fourth in the NFL with a 50.4 average and 11^th with a net average of 41.8.

THE SERIES

Miami leads the all-time series 14-5, including 8-3 in Cincinnati, where five of the last six meetings have taken place.