Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-09 · by Alanis Thames The Associated Press
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow may need to adjust his game plan for Sunday’s match against the winless Miami Dolphins due to uncertainties surrounding top receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who are both dealing with injuries. If neither player can participate, it would be the first time since 2021 that Burrow plays without at least one of them. Despite this potential setback, head coach Zac Taylor remains optimistic about developing alternative offensive strategies to address their absence. The Dolphins have improved defensively in recent weeks but still seek their first win of the season.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-09,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Joe Burrow has thrown a lot of passes to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but the Cincinnati quarterback may need to find another top option when the Bengals visit the Dolphins on Sunday with both of his top receivers dealing with injuries.
uncertain
both → throw → injuries
Chase, who has caught 21 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns, left with a concussion in the second quarter of last week’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
asserted
who → catch → Jaguars
He missed practice on Wednesday but returned as a limited participant Thursday.
asserted
He → miss → participant
Higgins injured his groin against Jacksonville and has not practiced this week.
asserted
Higgins → injure → Jacksonville
Zac Taylor this week labeled both receivers as “day to day” as Cincinnati tries to snap a two-game losing streak, but the Bengals coach said he’s not concerned about putting together a game plan without the two star pass catchers.
asserted
he → label → catchers
“We have a bunch of guys who see the pass game like we do and understand the things that we look for,” Taylor said.
asserted
Taylor → have → that
“We’ve brought the right character of guys here who know what it’s like.
asserted
it → bring → what
Joe does a really good job of fitting them in and getting them particular balls so they can get some confidence.
asserted
they → do → confidence
We have a really good track record of developing guys.
asserted
We → have → guys
If Chase and Higgins are both inactive, it would be the first time since Chase was the fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft that Burrow would not have at least one of them in the lineup.
asserted
Burrow → have → lineup
He said he’s confident in the banked reps he has with other receivers.
asserted
he → say → receivers
“The guys that haven’t had a ton of reps will come in and take those practice reps,” Burrow said.
asserted
Burrow → have → reps
“So, you get those reps and practice with those guys with still the hope the other guys will play.
asserted
guys → get → hope
But if not, we have those reps banked throughout the week.”
asserted
reps → have → week
They’re going against a Dolphins team that is still looking for its first win, but has played better defense as the season has progressed.
asserted
season → go → defense
Miami held Kenneth Walker and Aaron Jones under 100 yards rushing the past two weeks, and the Dolphins rank sixth in the NFL with 3.6 yards allowed per carry.
asserted
Dolphins → hold → carry
The Dolphins also had four sacks against Minnesota last Sunday after entering Week 4 as the only team in the NFL without one.
asserted
Dolphins → have → one
“We’re getting better.
asserted
We → get → ?
The communication is getting better.
asserted
communication → get → ?
The execution is getting better,” Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley said.
asserted
Hafley → get → ?
“The physicality is getting better.
asserted
physicality → get → ?
We’re becoming a better football team.
asserted
We → become → team
We’ve played really good football teams.
asserted
We → play → teams
And it is about the process, doing our best every single day, pouring everything that we have into it, coaches and players, so when Sunday comes, we go out there and we go play.
asserted
we → do → it
And hopefully each week we see improvement, and the next step is to win a football game.
asserted
step → see → game
Need to know
Cincinnati (2-2) at Miami (0-4)
When/where to watch: Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, FOX.
Latest odds: Bengals by 7.
Against the spread: Bengals 2-2; Dolphins 1-3.
Last week: Bengals lost to Jacksonville 22-17; Dolphins lost to Minnesota 15-10.
Last meeting: Bengals beat Dolphins 45-21 on Dec. 21, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Series record: Dolphins 18-9.
asserted
Bengals → need → Gardens
Willis admitted this week that his play through the first four games of the season has not been good enough.
asserted
play → admit → season
The Dolphins quarterback has completed 56.3% of his passes for 712 yards but has more interceptions (two) than passing touchdowns (one).
asserted
quarterback → complete → touchdowns
He will have a tough task against a Bengals defense that has one of the highest sack rates in the NFL.
asserted
that → have → NFL
Stats and stuff
— Burrow completed 72.2% of his passes against a tough Jaguars defense last week — tied for the fourth most in any game of his career.
asserted
Burrow → complete → career
— Cincinnati is tied for third in the NFL with 14 sacks.
asserted
Cincinnati → tie → sacks
DT Dexter Lawrence II, acquired by the team in a trade earlier this year, has a team-high three sacks.
asserted
II → acquire → sacks
Free agent additions Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe also have two sacks apiece.
asserted
Allen → have → sacks
— In addition to the uncertain status of Cincinnati’s two star receivers, Allen (rest/knee), safeties Bryan Cook (ankle) and safety Kyle Dugger (quad) did not practice Wednesday.
asserted
Allen → practice → receivers
Lawrence (wrist), safety Jordan Battle (hamstring) and receiver Colbie Young (knee) were limited.
asserted
Lawrence → limit → ?
— The Dolphins are trying to avoid their first 0-5 start since beginning the 2019 season with seven consecutive losses under then-head coach Brian Flores.
asserted
Dolphins → try → Flores
— Rookie LB Jacob Rodriguez is second in the NFL in total tackles (46) and first among rookies, including 18 last week at Minnesota.
asserted
Rodriguez → include → Minnesota
— WR Caleb Douglas could miss his third straight game because of an ankle injury suffered in Week 2.
uncertain
Douglas → miss → Week
He hasn’t practiced the past two weeks.
asserted
He → practice → ?
Defensive lineman Kenneth Grant practiced this week for the first time this season after starting on injured reserve with a toe injury.
asserted
Grant → practice → injury
The Aporia
