CINCINNATI — The Bengals are heading into their bye week with a 3-2 record and a little momentum after Sunday's 31-24 victory over the Miami Dolphins. Considering how things looked following consecutive losses to Pittsburgh and Jacksonville, Cincinnati will gladly take both.
Still, the Bengals have some work to do. Sunday's victory offered a few encouraging signs, but it didn't erase the problems that contributed to those two losses. With a trip to Baltimore waiting on October 25, Cincinnati has two weeks to figure out how to build on its strengths while addressing some concerns that have lingered through the first five games.
Here are three things that should be near the top of the Bengals' to-do list.
1. Keep Joe Burrow Upright
For the first time this season, Joe Burrow finished a game without being sacked. Miami's defense struggled to generate consistent pressure, and Burrow responded by completing 23 of 32 passes for 190 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions.
The performance was a welcome change from Cincinnati's previous outings. Burrow was sacked five times against Houston, and the pressure was a significant factor in the Bengals' losses to Pittsburgh and Jacksonville.
However, one clean afternoon doesn't mean Cincinnati has solved its pass-protection problems. The offensive line has been inconsistent, and Burrow has spent too much time dealing with pressure through the first five games.
Cincinnati doesn't need perfection from its offensive line, but it does need consistency. Allowing Burrow enough time to work through his progressions and find his receivers remains essential to the Bengals' offensive success.
The bye week gives the coaching staff an opportunity to evaluate protection schemes, identify recurring breakdowns, and make adjustments before facing Baltimore.
That said, the offensive line isn't responsible for every sack or pressure. Burrow has acknowledged that he sometimes holds the ball too long while trying to extend plays, and that can turn manageable situations into unnecessary sacks. Fixing Cincinnati's protection problems will require adjustments from both the offensive line and Burrow himself.
2. Build on the Running Game
The Bengals finally showed some signs of life on the ground against Miami, rushing for 117 yards after managing just 23 against Jacksonville the previous week.
Samaje Perine led the way with 68 yards on 14 carries, while Chase Brown added 39 on 13 attempts. Cincinnati still wasn't particularly explosive running the football, but the improvement helped create a more balanced offense and kept Miami from focusing exclusively on Burrow.
The challenge now is making that performance something other than a one-week exception.
Through five games, Cincinnati has rushed for 414 yards on 114 attempts, an average of just 3.6 yards per carry. That's hardly the production you'd expect from a team with an elite quarterback and a talented group of receivers like Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, whose presence often encourages defenses to keep two safeties deep rather than crowd the line of scrimmage.
The Bengals don't need to become a run-first offense. Nobody is suggesting they take the ball out of Burrow's hands when he has Chase and Higgins at his disposal. However, defenses shouldn't be able to ignore the threat of the run whenever Cincinnati lines up, particularly if the numbers in the box favor a run play.
The improvement against Miami was encouraging, but maintaining that progress will require more consistent blocking and better execution from the entire offense. Chase Brown, in particular, needs to find more room to operate after gaining just 49 yards on 22 carries over the last two games.
3. Get the Run Defense Back on Track
Perhaps the most concerning development from Sunday's victory was Cincinnati's inability to stop Miami on the ground.
Entering the game, the Bengals ranked eighth in the NFL against the run, allowing just 99.5 rushing yards per contest. The Dolphins promptly shredded that average, piling up 217 yards on 34 carries and averaging 6.4 yards per attempt.
Quarterback Malik Willis created problems with his mobility, rushing for 74 yards, including a 39-yard scramble. Ollie Gordon II added another 88 yards and a touchdown, consistently finding opportunities against a Cincinnati defense that had been relatively dependable against the run.
The Bengals had held their first four opponents to a combined 398 rushing yards. Allowing more than half that total in one afternoon isn't a trend Cincinnati can afford to let continue.
Baltimore presents a particularly difficult challenge, especially if the Bengals struggle with containment and tackling the way they did against Miami. Cincinnati will need a disciplined defensive effort to keep the Ravens from controlling the game on the ground.
The bye week gives the defensive staff an opportunity to review what went wrong, correct assignments, and make sure Sunday's performance doesn't become a recurring problem.
A Chance to Regroup
The Bengals have played five games, won three, and demonstrated that they can compete even when things aren't going particularly well. That's not a horrible position to be in as they enter their first extended break of the season.
However, Cincinnati's two losses have also shown how quickly mistakes can derail an otherwise promising performance. The offense needs more balance, Burrow needs better protection, and the defense cannot allow opposing running games to dictate the afternoon.
The Bengals don't need to reinvent themselves over the next two weeks, but they do need to make some improvements. Their next opponent will provide a pretty good indication of whether they used the extra time wisely.
Cincinnati returns to action Sunday, October 25, when it visits the Baltimore Ravens at 1 p.m. ET.
