On paper
4 games in. Samples are still small, so a rank can move a lot in a week. Ranks are out of 32 teams and 1st is always best, on offense and defense alike.
Bengals
5
pairings with the edge
Dolphins
1
pairings with the edge
On paper, the Bengals hold the edge across the position groups.
Bengals big edge
Bengals pass rush (6th) against the Dolphins pass protection (31st)
Bengals big edge
Bengals quarterback play (11th) against the Dolphins pass coverage (28th)
Dolphins big edge
Dolphins run defense (3rd) against the Bengals run game (20th)
Position group by position group
Each offense against the other team's defense, one position group at a time. Circle: the offense. Diamond: the defense. Whoever sits further right wins that pairing.
Bengals offense vs Dolphins defense
Pass protection vs pass rush
Bengals edgeWeakestBestThe Bengals pass protection ranks 17th. The Dolphins pass rush ranks 25th.
Bengals (Week 4 report, latest out): Dalton Risner (G, questionable, knee)
The numbers and the players
Bengals pass protection
- Sacks allowed per dropback5.3% (14th)
- Pressure allowed per dropback24% (19th)
- Orlando Brown Jr. (T) 100% of snaps
- Dylan Fairchild (G) 100% of snaps
- Dalton Risner (G) 100% of snaps
- Ted Karras (C) 100% of snaps
- Amarius Mims (T) 99% of snaps
Dolphins pass rush
- Sacks per dropback3.3% (28th)
- Pressure per dropback23% (19th)
- Quarterback hits per dropback14.2% (20th)
- Chop Robinson (DE) 9 pressures, 1 sacks
- Zach Sieler (DL) 4 pressures, 2 sacks
- Joshua Uche (DE) 4 pressures, 1 sacks
Run game vs run defense
Dolphins big edgeWeakestBestThe Bengals run game ranks 20th. The Dolphins run defense ranks 3rd.
Bengals (Week 4 report, latest out): Dalton Risner (G, questionable, knee)
The numbers and the players
Bengals run game
- Points added per run−0.12 (19th)
- Runs that keep the drive on track37% (19th)
- Rushing yards after contact1.2 (31st)
- Runs of 10+ yards9.6% (14th)
- Rushing yards before contact2.4 (18th)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line18% (17th)
- Chase Brown (RB) −0.14 per run on 57
- Samaje Perine (RB) −0.23 per run on 12
- Orlando Brown Jr. (T) 100% of snaps
- Dylan Fairchild (G) 100% of snaps
- Dalton Risner (G) 100% of snaps
- Ted Karras (C) 100% of snaps
- Amarius Mims (T) 99% of snaps
Dolphins run defense
- Points allowed per run−0.13 (10th)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line23% (4th)
- Runs of 10+ yards allowed9.7% (17th)
- Missed tackles5.4% (3rd)
- Jacob Rodriguez (LB) 46 tackles, 2 missed
- Jordyn Brooks (LB) 35 tackles
Quarterback vs coverage
Bengals big edgeWeakestBestThe Bengals quarterback play ranks 11th. The Dolphins pass coverage ranks 28th.
The numbers and the players
Bengals quarterback play
- Points added per dropback+0.11 (13th)
- Completions above expected+5.5 (5th)
- Interceptions per throw1.8% (18th)
- Passes of 20+ yards per dropback8.2% (13th)
- Joe Burrow (QB) +0.10 per dropback on 165
Dolphins pass coverage
- Points allowed per throw+0.32 (30th)
- Completions allowed above expected+13.0 (32nd)
- Interceptions per throw2.6% (12th)
- Chris Johnson (CB) 131.8 passer rating allowed on 19 targets
- Michael Taaffe (S) 101.8 passer rating allowed on 14 targets
Receivers vs coverage
Bengals big edgeWeakestBestThe Bengals receiving corps ranks 20th. The Dolphins pass coverage ranks 29th.
The numbers and the players
Bengals receiving corps
- Points added per target+0.23 (15th)
- Yards after the catch4.0 (27th)
- Drops per target2.6% (9th)
- Tackles broken per catch3.6% (23rd)
- Tee Higgins (WR) +0.63 per target on 39
- Ja'Marr Chase (WR) +0.50 per target on 27
- Chase Brown (RB) −0.27 per target on 24
Dolphins pass coverage
- Passes of 20+ yards allowed10.0% (24th)
- Passer rating allowed112.8 (31st)
- Points allowed per throw+0.32 (30th)
- Chris Johnson (CB) 131.8 passer rating allowed on 19 targets
- Michael Taaffe (S) 101.8 passer rating allowed on 14 targets
Dolphins offense vs Bengals defense
Pass protection vs pass rush
Bengals big edgeWeakestBestThe Dolphins pass protection ranks 31st. The Bengals pass rush ranks 6th.
The numbers and the players
Dolphins pass protection
- Sacks allowed per dropback8.8% (28th)
- Pressure allowed per dropback28% (29th)
- Aaron Brewer (C) 100% of snaps
- Austin Jackson (T) 100% of snaps
- Kadyn Proctor (G) 100% of snaps
- Patrick Paul (T) 100% of snaps
- Jonah Savaiinaea (G) 100% of snaps
Bengals pass rush
- Sacks per dropback8.9% (2nd)
- Pressure per dropback29% (9th)
- Quarterback hits per dropback17.1% (12th)
- Dexter Lawrence (DT) 8 pressures, 3 sacks
- Jonathan Allen (DT) 8 pressures, 2 sacks
- Cashius Howell (DE) 7 pressures
Run game vs run defense
Bengals edgeWeakestBestThe Dolphins run game ranks 22nd. The Bengals run defense ranks 19th.
The numbers and the players
Dolphins run game
- Points added per run−0.19 (26th)
- Runs that keep the drive on track31% (31st)
- Rushing yards after contact1.5 (20th)
- Runs of 10+ yards8.6% (18th)
- Rushing yards before contact2.8 (9th)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line20% (22nd)
- De'Von Achane (RB) −0.15 per run on 33
- Ollie Gordon II (RB) +0.04 per run on 29
- Aaron Brewer (C) 100% of snaps
- Austin Jackson (T) 100% of snaps
- Kadyn Proctor (G) 100% of snaps
- Patrick Paul (T) 100% of snaps
- Jonah Savaiinaea (G) 100% of snaps
Bengals run defense
- Points allowed per run−0.11 (15th)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line27% (1st)
- Runs of 10+ yards allowed11.4% (26th)
- Missed tackles11.2% (27th)
- Demetrius Knight (LB) 34 tackles, 3 missed
- Barrett Carter (LB) 30 tackles, 6 missed
Quarterback vs coverage
EvenWeakestBestThe Dolphins quarterback play ranks 27th. The Bengals pass coverage ranks 20th.
Bengals (Week 4 report, latest out): Kyle Dugger (S, out, quadricep); Bryan Cook (S, questionable, ankle)
The numbers and the players
Dolphins quarterback play
- Points added per dropback−0.13 (27th)
- Completions above expected−8.4 (32nd)
- Interceptions per throw1.8% (17th)
- Passes of 20+ yards per dropback8.0% (17th)
- Malik Willis (QB) −0.17 per dropback on 113
Bengals pass coverage
- Points allowed per throw+0.00 (13th)
- Completions allowed above expected+1.2 (17th)
- Interceptions per throw0.7% (29th)
- Daxton Hill (CB) 68.4 passer rating allowed on 23 targets
- DJ Turner (CB) 88.5 passer rating allowed on 19 targets
Receivers vs coverage
EvenWeakestBestThe Dolphins receiving corps ranks 16th. The Bengals pass coverage ranks 19th.
Dolphins (Week 4 report, latest out): Caleb Douglas (WR, out, ankle)
Bengals (Week 4 report, latest out): Kyle Dugger (S, out, quadricep); Bryan Cook (S, questionable, ankle)
The numbers and the players
Dolphins receiving corps
- Points added per target+0.01 (28th)
- Yards after the catch6.4 (3rd)
- Drops per target7.9% (30th)
- Tackles broken per catch10.3% (2nd)
- Malik Washington (WR) −0.05 per target on 28
- De'Von Achane (RB) +0.01 per target on 12
- Greg Dulcich (TE) +0.22 per target on 12
Bengals pass coverage
- Passes of 20+ yards allowed9.5% (22nd)
- Passer rating allowed90.8 (15th)
- Points allowed per throw+0.00 (13th)
- Daxton Hill (CB) 68.4 passer rating allowed on 23 targets
- DJ Turner (CB) 88.5 passer rating allowed on 19 targets
Tale of the tape
Every unit on its own, side by side.
- 11thQuarterbackOffense27th
- 16thOffensive lineOffense26th
- 20thReceiversOffense16th
- 19thRun gameOffense27th
- 6thPass rushDefense25th
- 19thRun defenseDefense3rd
- 22ndPass coverageDefense30th
Longer bar is better. Each unit is graded on the stats shown in the pairings above, ranked among all 32 teams.
How these grades are calculated
- Each position group is judged on three to five plain stats, listed below. All of them are per play or per throw, never season totals.
- Every stat is ranked across all 32 teams, 1st to 32th, the right way round (fewer drops is better, more pressure is better for a pass rush).
- A rank becomes a score from 0 to 100, with 1st at 100 and last at 0. The group's grade is the average of its stats' scores.
- Teams are ranked by that grade, and that rank is the number on the cards.
For example, the Dolphins pass coverage is 30th. Its stats rank 30th (points allowed per throw), 32nd (completions allowed above expected), 24th (passes of 20+ yards allowed), 12th (interceptions per throw), and 31st (passer rating allowed). Averaged, that is a grade of 20 out of 100, which is 30th among the 32 teams.
This is why a grade can disagree with a total or with another site's rating. A team can rank high in rushing yards because it carries the ball a lot or trails late, and still rank low here because each run adds little. Film grades, like PFF's, come from watching every player on every snap, and these do not. Early in the season a few plays can move a rank a lot.
- Quarterback
- points added per dropback, completions above expected, interceptions per throw, passes of 20+ yards per dropback
- Offensive line
- sacks allowed per dropback, pressure allowed per dropback, rushing yards before contact, runs stopped at or behind the line
- Receivers
- points added per target, yards after the catch, drops per target, tackles broken per catch
- Run game
- points added per run, runs that keep the drive on track, rushing yards after contact, runs of 10+ yards
- Pass rush
- sacks per dropback, pressure per dropback, quarterback hits per dropback
- Run defense
- points allowed per run, runs stopped at or behind the line, runs of 10+ yards allowed, missed tackles
- Pass coverage
- points allowed per throw, completions allowed above expected, passes of 20+ yards allowed, interceptions per throw, passer rating allowed
The coaches
Records are regular-season games since 1999, against the spread as listed by the games file. A new coach has no history here yet.
| Measure | Bengals | Dolphins |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Zac Taylor | Jeff Hafley |
| Record as a head coach | 54-65-1 in 120 games | 0-4 in 4 games (first year) |
| With this team | 54-65-1 since 2019 | 0-4 since 2026 |
| Against the spread, this season | 2-2 | 1-3 |
| Against the spread, career | 64-53-3 | 1-3 |
| Against the spread as an underdog | 32-28 | 1-3 |
| Against the spread as a favorite | 32-25-3 | none yet |
| Coming off a bye | 3-4 | none yet |
| Head coach against head coach | Have not met | Have not met |
| Team against team since 1999 | 6-6 | 6-6 |
How each team plays
Not good or bad, just the style. Ranks go from the highest rate down, so a 1st means the most of it in the league.
Pass rate over expected
Bengals +6.5 pts (1st highest) — throws more than the situation calls for
Dolphins −8.7 pts (29th highest) — runs more than the situation calls for
Play-action share of dropbacks
Bengals 17% (30th highest) — rarely uses play-action
Dolphins 26% (12th highest)
Plays with pre-snap motion
Bengals 52% (26th highest) — keeps its formations still
Dolphins 80% (2nd highest) — moves players before almost every snap
No-huddle plays
Bengals 6% (12th highest)
Dolphins 1% (29th highest) — huddles up
Plays from the shotgun
Bengals 72% (2nd highest) — lives in the shotgun
Dolphins 57% (20th highest)
Blitz rate
Bengals 16% (32nd highest) — rarely blitzes
Dolphins 28% (18th highest)
Pass rushers sent
Bengals 4.2 (32nd highest) — rushes with the fewest
Dolphins 4.3 (21st highest)
Runs against a loaded box (8+)
Bengals 8% (17th highest)
Dolphins 14% (9th highest)
Who is missing
The latest injury report for each team, sorted by position group. A starter averaged more than half the team's snaps in the games he played.
Bengals
Latest report is from Week 4; the Week 5 report is not out yet.
- Kyle Dugger SStarterOut · quadricep · pass coverage
- Colbie Young WROut · knee · receivers
- Bryan Cook SStarterQuestionable · ankle · pass coverage
- Dalton Risner GStarterQuestionable · knee · offensive line
- B.J. Hill DTQuestionable · achilles · pass rush
- Swayze Bozeman LBQuestionable · groin · run defense
- Dexter Lawrence DTStarterDid not practice · pass rush
- DJ Turner II CBStarterLimited in practice · pass coverage
Dolphins
Latest report is from Week 4; the Week 5 report is not out yet.
- Caleb Douglas WRStarterOut · ankle · receivers
- Rob Beal Jr. LBOut · hamstring · run defense
- Storm Duck CBOut · knee · pass coverage
Data: nflverse play-by-play, CC BY 4.0. Ranks use the 2026 regular season through Week 4. Also FTN charting, Pro Football Reference advanced stats, snap counts and injury reports, all through nflverse. Calculations and charts by Raiders Rundown.