Both teams already had been eliminated from the playoffs, but Cincinnati’s offense was firing on all cylinders with all the big weapons contributing and the defense did its part by producing three turnovers against a Miami team giving rookie Quinn Ewers his first NFL start.
Here are three takeaways from the win:
1. Offense responds
Burrow said this week he just wants “to play ball,” when asked why he still cares to be involved in meaningless games after he already has dealt with so many injuries in his six-year NFL career.
He was back to doing what he does best Sunday and threw for 309 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions and a quarterback rating of 146.5. It helped that he had all of his weapons available to him and contributing. Ja’Marr Chase caught nine passes for 109 yards, and although Tee Higgins, in his return from a second concussion in three weeks, finished with just 53 yards on three catches, Burrow said he set the tone with two big plays early, including the opening touchdown.
Chase Brown had three second-half touchdowns to break open the game after the Bengals took a 17-14 lead into halftime. He finished with 107 yards from scrimmage. Mike Gesicki also caught a touchdown pass against his old team.
It also was a significant day for Burrow in the record books, as he became the fifth player in NFL history to record 20,000 passing yards in his first 75 career games. He also hit 150 career passing touchdowns on his second one of the day, becoming the third fastest in NFL history to do so.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
2. Defense bounces back
After giving up big plays in the first half, including a 48-yard touchdown run by De’Von Alchane, the Bengals defense bounced back to produce three takeaways in the second half, and that allowed Cincinnati to score four straight touchdowns.
Jordan Battle got things started on the opening drive of the second half when he popped the ball out of Greg Dulcich’s hands at the end of a 10-yard catch, and Myles Murphy recovered the fumble.
That put the Bengals on the Dolphins’ 34-yard line, to set up Brown’s first touchdown. Just three plays later, Josh Newton got a tip on Ewers’ pass intended for Theo Wease Jr., and Barrett Carter caught the interception and returned it 16 yards to the Miami 35-yard line to set up another touchdown.
Cincinnati’s defense then forced a turnover on downs, stopping a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1 near midfield, and Brown finished off the ensuing drive with his third touchdown of the day. Ewers made a bad decision throwing into tight coverage on Jaylen Waddle down the sideline on the next play from scrimmage, and Jalen Davis picked it off.
The Bengals were playing without defensive end Joseph Ossai (ankle), and DJ Turner, who had been questionable with illness, left in the first half and never returned. Murphy had a productive game with a tackle for loss and quarterback hit in addition to his fumble recovery, and Newton filled in for Turner and was key on the first pick.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
3. Too little, too late
This was how Cincinnati was supposed to look this season. That’s what has made 2025 so frustrating.
The offense has shown it in spurts, scoring 30 points or more in seven games now but only four of them resulted in wins. Burrow is 2-2 since his return from turf toe surgery, and the Bengals have managed more than 30 points in three of those games, one being the heartbreaking 39-34 defeat at Buffalo that ended the team’s playoff chances.
Getting shut out for the first time in his career last week was a clear outlier. It was important for Burrow to have a chance to bounce back — the end of the Buffalo defeat, he had two uncharacteristic interceptions on consecutive plays to lose control of the game, and those struggles just seemed to spill into a poor outing against Baltimore.
Last year, Burrow seemingly had to be perfect to win games, but Cincinnati hoped that changes in the defensive staff and a few key positions on that side of the ball would make a difference. No one expected a complete turnaround after returning the bulk of the defensive starters and handing the keys at linebacker to two rookie draft picks. However, since the bye week, the Bengals have shown progress the organization had counted on happening sooner — early enough to make a dent in the standings.
The Bengals still need to find ways to help the offense more consistently. Even a strong finish can’t cover the disappointment of a third-straight season without a playoff appearance.
NEXT GAME
Who: Cardinals at Bengals
When: 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28
TV: Fox
Radio: 104.7-FM, 700-AM
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