Bengals 31, Dolphins 24: Battle's Two Picks, Burrow's Four

October 11, 2026 - Miami Gardens - Dohnte Meyers took the opening kick 81 yards. Joe Burrow needed third-and-goal from the 6. Mike Gesicki drifted across the back line. Jacob Rodriguez, the rookie the Bengals liked in the draft, was late. 7-0. Homecoming for Jordan Battle already had a lead.

The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Miami Dolphins 31-24 at Hard Rock Stadium and snapped a two-game slide. Cincinnati is 3-2. Miami is 0-5. Burrow was 23 of 32 for 190 and four scores, no picks. He hit 17 of 21 before the half and converted nine of 13 third downs, per the club. Tua Tagovailoa is in Atlanta this year. Malik Willis started again.

Battle intercepted Willis on consecutive second-quarter drives. He had said during the week that Willis taps the ball. The veteran then posted his first two-pick game since Alabama vs. Mississippi State, per the Bengals.

7-7, then two picks, then 21-7

Willis answered. Ollie Gordon and the run game got Miami even, 7-7, before the interceptions. Burrow found Samaje Perine from 6 on third-and-6, another choice route on Rodriguez with the safety wide to take Ja'Marr Chase. 14-7. Battle's second pick turned into Tanner Hudson from 2 with a minute left in the half. 21-7.

Chase and Tee Higgins both played after being listed as questionable. Chase had come out of concussion protocol on Saturday. The skill night still ran through the tight ends and Perine until the fourth.

Miami reached the Cincinnati 1 late in the third. Chris Bell ran 26. Gordon pushed it. Willis took an 8-yard sack, then forced one to Greg Dulcich that fell incomplete. Riley Patterson from 29. 21-10.

Chase from 45, then a clanked extra point

Chase one-handed a 45-yard score with Jason Marshall Jr. on him. 28-10. Evan McPherson added a 20-29-range field goal. 31-10. Kevin Coleman Jr. caught a touchdown, then 23 yards to set up Willis from a yard with 45 seconds left. Patterson hit the left upright. 31-24. The onside kick went out of bounds.

nflverse has Chase at six catches for 77 and the score on 10 targets. The Miami Herald listed five for 77. We are using six for 77. Perine ran 14 times for 68 and caught two for 10 and a score. Hudson had three for 14 and the 2-yarder. Gesicki had one for 4 and the opener. Chase Brown ran 13 times for 39, caught three for 21, and lost a fumble. Cincinnati ran 31 times for 117 after 23 rushing yards against Jacksonville, per the club.

Willis was 15 of 27 for 137, one passing score, two picks, a lost fumble, three sacks, and eight rushes for 74 and the late 1-yarder. Gordon ran 18 times for 88 and a score. Malik Washington caught six for 43. Dulcich had four for 37. Patterson made the 29-yarder, one extra point, and missed the last PAT.

Jonathan Allen had a sack, a forced fumble, and a recovery. Barrett Carter added a sack. Boye Mafe had one. Battle finished with five solos, two picks, and two passes defensed.

AthX Engine on a safety's 85

AthX Engine NFL scoring already has the Week 5 Sunday lines in. Battle's two interceptions land at 85.50, the top total in this game. Allen is 43.00. Burrow is 41.70. Carter is 39.50. Willis is 37.46. Chase is 28.25. Cincinnati's team line is 75.50. Miami is 12.25.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay for Battle after he called the tell and then picked it twice, and for Burrow spreading four scores while Chase was still shaking off the protocol. They move together. They are not the same number.

Track Burrow, Battle, Chase, Higgins, and both clubs on the marketplace. Cincinnati is on a bye, then visits Baltimore on Oct. 25. Miami is on a bye, then visits the Jets that afternoon.

*Sources: ESPN game page, Bengals.com recap, Bengals postgame quick hits, CBS Sports/AP recap, Miami Herald. Club wraps, CBS/AP, and nflverse agree on 31-24, Burrow 23-of-32 for 190 and four scores, Battle two interceptions. nflverse has Chase at 6-77; the Herald listed 5-77. AthX Engine Week 5 lines scored from nflverse weekly stats (CC-BY 4.0). Information only; not financial advice.*