'Mr. Reliable' - Bengals RB Samaje Perine States Case for Bigger Role in Backfield

The Cincinnati Bengals run game looked a lot different Sunday afternoon in Miami.

And in more ways than one.

Coming off last week’s historically bad performance, the Bengals not only upped the volume and the efficiency of the rushing attack, but they also leaned heavily into backup running back Samaje Perine on the way to a 31-24 victory against the winless Dolphins.

The Bengals had a season-high 31 rushing attempts, with Perine leading the team in both carries (14) and yards (68). He also caught a pair of passes, including a 6-yard touchdown that gave the Bengals the lead for good with 11:51 left in the second quarter.

Bengals Find New Wrinkle in Run Game with Perine

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine (34) runs the ball in the second quarter of the NFL Week 5 game between the Miami Dolphins and the Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Perine’s 4.9 yards per attempt were much better than Chase Brown’s numbers, which saw him carry 13 times for 39 yards.

“I think he was finishing an extra 2 or 3 (yards),” head coach Zac Taylor said of Perine. “Got a lot of confidence in Chase. Sometimes you got two great backs that you've got trust in. That's just the way it can go sometimes, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that.”

Brown has struggled to get going this season, and the heavier volume for Perine on Sunday could lead to more of a split load after the team returns from the bye week.

Perine’s 4.86 average Sunday was the fourth highest of his Cincinnati career in a game in which he had at least 10 carries.

“I think I am effective whenever my number is called, whenever I need to be,” Perine said. “As the game goes on, I feel like I do become a stronger runner, just because if the defense has been out there for a long time, I feel like I'm wearing on them a little bit.

“I'm a bigger back, so they don't want to hit bigger backs that often,” the 5-foot-11, 240-pounder added.

“I wouldn’t want to try to tackle him,” Bengals center Ted Karras quipped.

Perine’s 14 carries against the Dolphins are tied for his third most in a game as a member of the Bengals.

In back-to-back weeks in 2022, the year before the team drafted Brown, Perine had 22 carries against the Chiefs and 17 against the Titans.

And Sunday’s workload came on day that goes down as the hottest road game in Bengals history and hottest October game ever at Hard Rock Stadium, which opened in 1987.

“I feel fine,” Perine said. “A little tired. Dehydrated. But I feel decent.”

Overall, the Bengals finished with 32 passes and 31 rushes, although two of those were kneel downs by Burrow after the Dolphins’ last-ditch onside kick attempt failed.

That output comes after Taylor and quarterback Joe Burrow both extolled the need for a more balance in the wake of last week’s loss to the Jaguars.

It helped that the Bengals jump out to an early lead and were up by 14 at halftime and eventually led by 18.

“That's just the way the game was played out,” Taylor said of the heavier reliance on the running game. “They're trying to give you some underneath stuff and let you run the ball a little bit, when you're in the gun there. You got to take advantage of it and get some yards there. And take advantage of the shots when you get the favorable looks for them, which we did with (the touchdown to Ja’Marr Chase).

“Eventually, they got to come up if they're going to be in those shells, come up and make a play. I thought they did a great job. They're well coached on defense. I thought their guys tackled well and they gave us a run there. They made it hard.”

Had it not been for Perine’s effectiveness, the Bengals may not have been able to lean into the run as much as they did.

Part of the self-scouting that will go on during the bye week will no doubt involve discussions on whether to make Perine a bigger part of the rushing attack.

It sounded as though Burrow would be in favor of it with the praise he heaped on Perine after the game, both for what he brings in the run game and pass game.

“He's just Mr. Reliable, and he has been my entire time here since he's been on our team,” Burrow said. “You can count on him to fall forward and get us an extra two. You can count on him to win against the linebacker in coverage. He's such a valuable piece for us and certainly doesn't get enough credit for it.

“Downhill,” Burrow added when asked why Perine is such a good fit for the offense. “We count on him a lot in protection too on third down to go not just block linebackers, sometimes defensive linemen as well. And I feel really confident that if I get it to him in space on third down, he's going to go make it happen for us. He's just such a valuable piece for us.”

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