Dolphins vs Bengals Week 4: Can the Dolphins’ 31st Ranked Defense Stop Cincy’s Offensive Attacks?

• The Miami Dolphins are coming off an upset Week 3 win over the favored Buffalo Bills
• Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow has been sacked 15 times so far this season
• Watch Dolphins vs Bengals on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022; 8:15 PM ET on Prime Video

Dolphins vs Bengals Odds

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Dolphins vs Bengals Pick

The key to a Dolphins win here will be to get after Bengals QB Burrow who has been easily sacked this season, a surefire way to cover the spread.

Dolphins +3.0 (-110)

An interesting NFL Week 4 matchup is this AFC cross-divisional battle between the conference’s only undefeated team, the 3-0 Miami Dolphins, against last year’s conference champion, the 1-2 Cincinnati Bengals, two teams ready for a battle of the playmaking QBs.

The Miami Dolphins are coming off an upset Week 3 win over the favored Buffalo Bills whose time ran out as Miami DC Josh Boyer’s 31st-ranked defense held on, with Phins QB Tua Tagovailoa connecting with WRs Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill in HC Mike McDaniel’s system.

The Cincinnati Bengals offensive line have allowed QB Joe Burrow to be sacked 15 times this season, a weak spot that must be fixed if they expect to compete, his banged-up front line needs to give him enough time to work his magic with WRs Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

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Miami Dolphins vs Cincinnati Bengals Predictions

Can the Dolphins’ 31st Ranked Defense Stop Cincy’s Offensive Attacks?

So far the Miami Dolphins’ defense has been their weakest link, ranked 31st after allowing opponents to gain a total of 414 yards per game, though they keep the teams they play to just 21.3 points per matchup, this pass-heavy Bengals offense a challenge for Phins DC Josh Boyer.

Boyer has some talent to work with on that side of the ball including veteran DE Emmanuel Ogbah, LB Melvin Ingram, and NT Christian Wilkins, a group that would do anything for their new young HC Mike McDaniel who has them at 3-0 for the first time since the 2018 season.

Though the Bengals have started the season out slowly, they have a powerful offense that has deep threat capabilities with WR Ja’Marr Chase and an effective rushing attack starring RB Joe Mixon and Smaje Perine, so Miami had best anticipate the worst and prepare to answer back.

Can the Bengals Offensive Line Protect QB Joe Burrow?

It is tough to be an effective NFL quarterback if you are in constant fear of being sacked the way Bengals hurler Joe Burrow must be after being sacked a league-tying best 15 times in three games, a horrible way to keep your franchise man safe, especially the injury prone Burrow.

Cincy does have a rookie center, Cordell Volson, and OGs Alex Cappa and Ted Karras were brought in to strengthen the interior of the line, but many of those 15 sacks are not their fault because they come from QB Burrow hanging onto the ball too long as he searches for targets.

That style of sack-heavy play has not been effective for this 20th-ranked offense that is only averaging 20.1 points per game, a TD less per outing than last season when the Bengals went all the way to the Super Bowl, still the goal for HC Zac Taylor despite the slow start to the year.

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Dolphins Key Player: (CB) Xavien Howard

If the Dolphins expect to post win number four on the season, they will need a big game from CB Xavien Howard and his secondary tasked with covering a Bengals WR crew that includes deep threat Ja’Marr Chase (below), Tee Higgins, slot man Tyler Boyd, and TE Hayden Hurst.

Howard had 5 INTs last season and led the league with 10 picks in 2020, so though he has none yet this year he is due, so far with 4 passes defended and 12 tackles, part of a 31st-ranked Miami pass defense that features CB Nik Needham and Ss Brandon Jones and Jevon Holland.

The Dolphins’ defense has allowed opponents to throw for almost 300 yards a game and score over 21 points per outing, and in Week 4 CB Howard and company will face a Bengals team that posts over 21 points a game, so keep your eye on how Howard handles the challenge.

Bengals Key Player: (WR) Ja’Marr Chase

One of the keys to a Bengals victory in Week 4 will be getting their deep threat WR Ja’Marr Chase involved, the second-year playmaker who is coming off a stellar rookie season when he was named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year as well as a Second-team All-Pro.

The 6’ 0” 201-pound Chase was an LSU standout and now he is an effective NFL route runner who is difficult to cover as he uses his breakaway speed (4.34 second 40-yard dash) to create distance between himself and whatever unfortunate defenseman is assigned to cover him.

That will most likely be Dolphins CB Xavien Howard (above) and FS Jevon Holland, part of a 31st-ranked pass defense that should be easily manipulated if QB Joe Burrow is given enough time in the pocket, a chance for a big game for he and Chase as the Bengals go after win #2.

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