CINCINNATI — It is too early in the season to start throwing around the words “must-win,” but this game feels like a must-win game.

Cincinnati heads to Miami on Sunday at 2-2 after consecutive one-score losses to Pittsburgh and Jacksonville. Waiting for them is an 0-4 Dolphins team that has scored an NFL-low 11.5 points per game and managed only four offensive touchdowns through the first month of the season.

Simply put, this is a game the Bengals should win.

Malik Willis has struggled through four games, completing just 56.3 percent of his passes for 712 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. The Dolphins also lost running back De’Von Achane to a torn ACL in Week 3, removing one of the most dangerous weapons from an offense that was already having difficulty consistently moving the football.

Cincinnati has its own problems, however, particularly at receiver.

Ja’Marr Chase remains questionable after going through concussion protocol this week, although he returned to full practice Friday. Tee Higgins is also questionable after dealing with abductor and neck injuries, while rookie Colbie Young is questionable with the knee injury that kept him out against Jacksonville.

That could once again leave Joe Burrow relying on players further down the depth chart.

Dohnte Meyers and Mitchell Tinsley answered the call last week. Meyers caught seven passes for 82 yards, while Tinsley made his first three catches of the season for 49 yards, including a 29-yard reception during Cincinnati’s fourth-quarter comeback attempt.

With the Bengals entering their bye after Sunday, there is very little reason to hold anything back.

Players to Watch

• The Backup Wide Receivers — Chase and Higgins both practiced fully Friday, but each remains questionable, and neither entered the week at 100 percent. That puts Meyers, Young, and Tinsley in position for expanded roles if either star receiver is limited or unavailable. Meyers has increasingly looked like Cincinnati’s No. 3 option, while Tinsley showed against Jacksonville that he can step into a larger role without the offense completely changing around him. Young also returned to practice this week after missing last Sunday. Burrow may not have his normal receiving corps at full strength, but last week offered some evidence that Cincinnati has enough depth to survive it.

• Joe Burrow — Burrow’s numbers are hardly bad. He has completed 71.3 percent of his passes for 1,171 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions through four games, but the Bengals have not consistently gotten the version of Burrow capable of taking over games. He was better against Houston, excellent for long stretches against Pittsburgh, and threw for 428 yards last week, but two interceptions against Jacksonville helped keep Cincinnati from finishing the comeback. At some point, the Bengals need Elite Burrow rather than an average Joe. Against an 0-4 opponent, Sunday would be a pretty good time for him to show up.

• Jordan Battle — Battle’s tackling drew criticism after the Jacksonville loss, including a missed opportunity on Brenton Strange that turned into a 23-yard gain and helped set up the Jaguars’ opening field goal. Battle has been dealing with a hamstring injury but returned to full practice Thursday and Friday. Kyle Dugger is out again this week with a quadriceps injury, but Battle still needs to clean up the missed tackles, particularly with the veteran eventually expected back in the safety rotation.

Game Information

Notes

• Burrow has completed 71.3 percent of his passes for 1,171 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions.
• Chase, Higgins, Young, Bryan Cook, and Swayze Bozeman are questionable for Cincinnati.
• Kyle Dugger has been ruled out with a quadriceps injury.
• Miami will be without Achane, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 3.
• Cincinnati has won the last two meetings against Miami, including a 45-21 win at Hard Rock Stadium last December.
• The Bengals have their bye week following Sunday’s game.

Prediction

Again, it is probably too early to call anything in Week 5 a must-win, but Cincinnati absolutely needs to win this football game.

The Bengals have already let two winnable games slip away, and now they face an opponent they should beat soundly. Miami is winless, owns the lowest-scoring offense in the NFL, and is playing without its best offensive weapon.

There are no excuses here.

Even if Chase or Higgins is limited, Cincinnati showed last week that Meyers, Tinsley, and the rest of the receiving depth can make plays. Burrow should have enough around him to move the football, while the Bengals defense should have every opportunity to make life difficult for Willis.

This is the kind of game where Cincinnati needs to stop making things harder than they have to be.

I think it does.

Final Score: Cincinnati 31, Miami 10