'Dead Tired' - Bengals, Zac Taylor Navigate Fall Heat to Get Back on Track Entering Bye Week

Zac Taylor's Bengals team worked its way through record heat in Florida today to get on the winning side of a 31-24 result entering the bye week.

Cincinnati is 3-2 on the season after taking on the Dolphins during a real-feel game of 104 degrees at kickoff (hottest in Hard Rock Stadium history). The big-time heat may have caused a few more of the controllable penalties and final-drive malaise to cut the score closer, but they are 3-2 entering a few days off.

They are still last in the division due to tiebreakers, but it was a huge win. According to RotoWire, No team in the past 10 seasons has started 2-3 and made the Super Bowl.

"Nothing really at this point in October gets you ready for this heat," Taylor said. "I mean, somebody told me it started as the hottest game here in October history, which I can attest to. I've coached here for four years, and pregame; I was worn out. And so our players fought through that.

"Yeah, I told them. I made that statement to them because I know they're dead tired right now, and I didn't want them to think that's just in their mind. They're like, 'What's wrong with me?' It was a hot day, and they battled through it, and they found a way to win. And I don't discount that at all."

Cincinnati got a strong, surgical-type day from Joe Burrow (190 yards, four touchdowns, 126.3 passer rating). Still they only posted 4.9 yards per play to Miami's 5.2.

He fed the offense the right way after a week of injury questions all over, while Jordan Battle had the team's first multi-INT game since 2023 to keep Miami under 25 points.

It wasn't clean, but a win is a win in a league as tough and closely competitive as this one.

"There are a lot of frustrating things on our end. We had two personal fouls. We fumbled twice in the red zone. We caught a kickoff on the four-yard line. We had a penalty on a field goal that led to a touchdown. Gave them four points. Gave up over 200 yards rushing," Taylor said. "So, plenty to clean up. The bye hits us at a great time. I know these guys are worn out. We've had some down to the wire games last three weeks.

"I know how hot this one was today. So the bye week comes at a great time for us to be 3-2. These guys will regroup. We know who we are today. There are a lot of things we have to clean up to be better when we go to Baltimore in two weeks."

Cincinnati gets an extended rest period before returning to practice for Baltimore game planning.

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