Zac Taylor Praises Toughness of 2 Bengals Offensive Stars After Win Over Dolphins

The Bengals needed their top weapons.

Oct 11, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor looks on during the first quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After dropping two straight games, the Cincinnati Bengals found themselves in a must-win scenario when they took on the winless Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

In one of the hottest games played in the month of October, the Bengals put the past in the rearview, beating the Dolphins 31-24.

Was it a pretty game? No. But no team should ever apologize for winning a game in the NFL. It was a total team effort, and thankfully the Bengals' offense was near full strength.

During postgame comments with the media, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor spoke about the toughness of wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who suffered injuries in the team's Week 4 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

All Or Nothing

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'marr Chase (1) pulls in deep pass over Miami Dolphins cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. (4) for a touchdown in the third 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. The Bengals improved to 3-2 on the season with a 31-24 win on the road. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"Hats off to them. They wanted to play, and Ja'Marr had to clear protocol on Saturday. His
mindset all along was, 'I'm playing,'" Taylor stated. " Now I hadn't seen him on the field enough to know. I appreciate him saying that, but I need to see him do it in practice, and he did. For those guys to go out there and make plays that they did for us is a big time. I don't ever question that."

Chase had to exit last week's game against the Jaguars after a dirty hit concussed him. For Higgins, it was an adductor injury that had him coming into the game with the Dolphins feeling less than 100%.

Both receivers made an impact on Sunday's game, but it was Chase who showed no signs of dealing with a head injury. The Bengals star receiver made an unbelievable touchdown grab on a 45-yard dime from Joe Burrow in the third quarter.

Oct 11, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) walks off the field after the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chase finished Sunday's game leading the Bengals in receptions with six and receiving yards with 77. As for Higgins, it was a little bit of a quieter day. The seventh-year receiver finished the game with two receptions and 22 receiving yards.

With a bye week coming up, it's nice to see that two of the biggest concerns on the injury front got through Sunday's game. The goal now is to rest and gear up for a long stretch of games thanks to drawing an unfortunate early bye week.

Sign Up For Our DAILY Newsletter for More Free Coverage of the Cincinnati Bengals Delivered to You Directly

For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel and be sure to check us out on your favorite audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Amazon.