Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-13 · by Joe Reedy The Associated Press
Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor sees the upcoming bye week as beneficial after a tough three-game stretch that ended with Sunday's win over Miami in extreme heat conditions. The team’s top receivers, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, along with safety Bryan Cook, are expected to recover from injuries during this break. With a 3-2 record, the Bengals prepare for their first divisional game against the Ravens on October 25th, aiming to address weaknesses in run defense before then.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-13,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Zac Taylor wasn’t happy when he first saw the Cincinnati Bengals’ schedule and noticed an early bye week.
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he → see → week
However, the eighth-year coach is happier to have it coming up now after a tough three-game stretch that included Sunday’s 31-24 victory at Miami where the temperature at the opening kickoff was 90 degrees with the trademark South Florida high humidity.
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temperature → have → humidity
“You kind of like it more toward Thanksgiving.
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You → like → Thanksgiving
But I do think just where our team is right now and the way that these last three games have gone down to the wire and guys playing through some stuff right now, it is a good time to get our legs back underneath us,” Taylor said.
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Taylor → think → us
“The heat really does drain you to where I’m sure it affects you the next week.
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it → drain → you
So I’m happy our guys will be able to recover and get their legs back under us and start getting ready for some colder weather, which we’re very familiar with and as the season gets going.
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season → ’m → which
All three played against the Dolphins but were not at 100 percent.
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three → play → percent
Chase, who came out of concussion protocol midway through last week, had six receptions for 77 yards, including a highlight-reel 45-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to extend the Bengals’ lead to 28-10.
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who → come → 28
Higgins, who suffered a groin injury during the fourth quarter on Oct. 4 against Jacksonville, added two catches for 22 yards.
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who → suffer → yards
Cook, who has been hampered by ankle issues, was still effective with five tackles.
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who → hamper → tackles
The Bengals go into the bye with a 3-2 record and one game behind the Ravens in the AFC North.
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Bengals → go → North
The teams have their first meeting of the season in Baltimore on Oct. 25.
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teams → have → Oct.
“I think we recognize some things that we’re doing really well.
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we → think → that
And then there’s a couple things that are really easy to clean up,” Taylor said.
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Taylor → ’ → ?
“So the good news is it’s not a concern that, oh man, this is unfixable.
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this → ’ → ?
We got a real problem here on this part of a scheme or a player.
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We → got → scheme
It’s just a couple things that we got to get cleaned up going into the next divisional game.”
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we → ’ → game
What’s working
Dohnte Meyers as the main kick returner.
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working → work → returner
The offseason signing from the Canadian Football League returned the opening kickoff 81 yards and gave Burrow a short field to convert into a touchdown.
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signing → return → touchdown
What needs help
Run defense.
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needs → need → help
The Bengals are beginning to look like the unit that allowed a league-high 147.1 yards on the ground last season.
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that → begin → ground
After giving up only 74.5 yards in the first two games, Cincinnati has allowed 155.3 yards the past three weeks.
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Cincinnati → give → yards
Miami had 217 yards, including seven carries of at least 12 yards, and averaged 6.4 yards per attempt.
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Miami → have → attempt
Safety Jordan Battle had the first two-interception game of his four-year career along with a quarterback pressure.
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Battle → have → pressure
Both picks came while the Bengals were in zone coverage.
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Bengals → come → coverage
Stock down
RB Chase Brown is averaging only 2.2 yards per carry the past two games.
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Brown → average → carry
He had 13 carries for 39 yards against the Dolphins and committed a fumble in the red zone after catching a 3-yard pass midway through the second quarter as the Bengals were driving for another score.
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Bengals → have → score
Linebacker Swayze Bozeman broke his right forearm and was placed on injured reserve.
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Bozeman → break → reserve
Tight end Tanner Hudson has a pectoral issue that Taylor said they are gathering more information on before making a determination.
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they → have → determination
Colbie Young (knee) and safety Kyle Dugger (quad) remain week to week.
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Young → remain → week
Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison lead the way with 21 and Steve Young and Jerry Rice combined for 20.
22: Consecutive field goals by Evan McPherson, a franchise record.
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Young → lead → McPherson
The Bengals get an early bye week before visiting the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 25.
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Bengals → get → Oct.
It will be the first Sunday afternoon game the Bengals have had in Baltimore since 2021.
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Bengals → have → 2021
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