There’s the cliché that numbers never lie, but don’t put too much stock in the final score of this one.

The Miami Dolphins may have lost against the Cincinnati Bengals 31-24, but an impending mistake always felt around the corner.

Cincinnati led 28-10 entering the fourth quarter before Miami’s late touchdowns made things look more competitive.

As the score shows, the Dolphins found ways to produce while rushing for 217 yards and outgaining Cincinnati 331-307 and finishing with more first downs, but three turnovers and another special teams breakdown helped turn any advantages into a loss at Hard Rock Stadium.

Here’s how each position group graded out as Miami fell to 0-5.

Quarterback: D+

After giving Malik Willis some time to adjust to leading a new, inexperienced team, the past couple of weeks have made it clear that pointing to the problems around him can’t explain away his own glaring flaws.

Willis completed 15 of 27 passes for 137 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, finishing with a 51.0 passer rating. He also fumbled twice, losing one with the Dolphins trailing by 10 late in the fourth quarter.

His first interception came on a tipped pass, when Boye Mafe batted a pass intended for Kevin Coleman Jr., and Jordan Battle came down with the deflection, but the second was a much more avoidable mistake, with Willis throwing back across his body while scrambling and finding Battle again.

And that’s where the feeling of an impending mistake was proven to be correct. Miami had just recovered a Cincinnati fumble near its own goal line, but three offensive plays later, the Bengals had the ball back and were on their way to a 21-7 lead.

The third-quarter goal-line possession was another costly example. After Gordon was stopped for a loss from the 1, Willis took an 8-yard sack on second-and-goal from the 3, a mistake he took responsibility for after the game. Miami eventually settled for a field goal.

He did throw a touchdown, however, rolling to his right and finding Kevin Coleman Jr. in the back of the end zone for a 3-yard score in the fourth quarter, the rookie’s first NFL touchdown.

His legs are still a weapon, as he rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown, including a 39-yard scamper on third-and-13 that helped launch Miami’s first fourth-quarter touchdown drive. 

Running Back: B+

Losing De’Von Achane would have sounded like one of Miami’s biggest potential crises, but Ollie Gordon II looks right at home in an offense that wants to load up on blockers and run through people.

A week after rushing for 100 yards against Minnesota, Gordon followed it up with 88 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. The Oklahoma State product ranks sixth in rushing yards across Weeks 4 and 5, with 188, through Sunday night.

His 22-yard run on third-and-10 helped keep Miami’s opening possession alive, and he eventually finished that drive with a 1-yard touchdown. He also put together runs of 7, 10 and 13 yards during the third-quarter drive that reached Cincinnati’s 1-yard line.

After Miami got just 2.8 yards per attempt out of the sixth-round pick during his rookie campaign in 2025, Gordon II has thrived off being able to find a rhythm without the one-dimensional predictability that came with being a 6-foot-2, 225-pound back used only in short-yardage situations.

Jaylen Wright continued to struggle, managing 11 yards on six carries. Three of those attempts came while Gordon II briefly was sidelined with an injury early in the fourth quarter.

Wide Receivers: C-

Malik Washington continues to be Miami’s most reliable receiving option, catching six of eight targets for 43 yards. He also continued to mix in snaps out of the backfield, adding an 18-yard run.

But he averaged just over 7 yards per reception Sunday, and his skill set is better suited to being a reliable, complementary slot option than carrying a team’s entire aerial attack.

Coleman offered more this week, catching three passes for 30 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown and a 23-yard reception that set up Willis’ late rushing score. That said, with Coleman offering a similar but less developed skill set to Washington’s, Miami is yearning for a true No. 1 outside receiver who can put pressure on defenses at every level.

Jalen Tolbert added a 22-yard catch. Chris Bell didn’t record a reception, but his 26-yard reverse helped get Miami into scoring position in the third quarter. His fourth-quarter false start also helped create the third-and-13 that Willis had to escape.

Tight Ends: B-

Greg Dulcich caught four of five targets for 37 yards and added the two-point conversion after Coleman’s touchdown.

His 13-yard reception converted fourth-and-1 near the end of the first half, although Miami ran out of time before turning that possession into points. He also moved the chains on third-and-5 during the final touchdown drive.

Will Kacmarek caught just one pass for 5 yards, but on Bell’s 26-yard run, he led the way up the right side of the field before laying a solid block on Bengals cornerback DJ Turner II to help Bell pick up a first down.

Offensive Line: C+

Miami averaged 6.4 yards on 34 rushing attempts, with Gordon, Willis, Washington and Bell all producing runs of at least 18 yards. 

Willis’ scrambling helped that average, but Gordon’s 88 yards also showed consistency in the ground game.

Unlike last week, no gain was wiped out by a holding penalty.

The protection still had costly breakdowns, however, as Cincinnati finished with three sacks for 23 yards, including Jonathan Allen’s late strip-sack. 

That said, Willis’ 8-yard loss near the goal line shows how a quarterback’s decision to keep a play alive can make the protection look worse.

The unit had to adjust after right guard Jonah Savaiinaea left with an ankle injury in the second quarter, with Jarrett Kingston replacing him. 

Defensive Line / Edge: D+

A week after finally collecting their first four sacks of the season, the Dolphins finished with none while also allowing 117 rushing yards

Chop Robinson hit Joe Burrow twice, but Cincinnati’s star quarterback still threw four touchdown passes without an interception. 

The Bengals’ rushing total was more a product of volume than efficiency, as Cincinnati ran the ball 31 times for an average of just 3.8 yards per carry. But the bigger problem was how often the Bengals kept possessions alive while converting nine of 13 third downs.

Robinson seemed to come through on a desperately needed fourth-quarter sack with Miami trailing 28-18, only to erase it himself with an offside penalty. Cincinnati received a first down and kept draining the clock. Zach Sieler later turned third-and-7 into third-and-2 with an encroachment penalty, although the defense eventually forced a punt.

Josh Uche did help preserve Miami’s second-quarter takeaway, recovering the ball after Robinson fumbled during his return.

Linebackers: D

Rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez finished with a team-high 11 tackles, but Mike Gesicki beat him on a double move, selling an inside break just long enough to freeze Rodriguez before catching a red-zone touchdown.

With 11:51 left in the second quarter, he gave up another touchdown after allowing Samaje Perine to cut inside of him on an angle route.

Burrow’s third touchdown pass went to Tanner Hudson with Willie Gay Jr. in coverage. 

Cincinnati converted seven of eight third downs in the first half, and its first three touchdowns went to two tight ends and a running back.

Defensive Backs: C+

The secondary made some of Miami’s most important defensive plays.

Chris Johnson forced Chase Brown’s second-quarter fumble near the goal line, and rookie Michael Taaffe also forced a fumble earlier in that possession, but Miami’s recovery was reversed after the referees determined that Gay Jr. was out of bounds after picking up the ball.

Taaffe left with a chest injury before returning, while JuJu Brents dealt with injuries and eventually was ruled out with a stinger.

Jason Marshall Jr. surrendered the game’s biggest passing play, Chase’s 45-yard touchdown late in the third quarter. The second-year cornerback was close enough to contest the catch, but jumped a step early, giving Chase an extra second to pluck the ball out of the air.

Special Teams: D-

Miami’s defense was in trouble before Burrow took his first snap.

Dohnte Meyers returned the opening kickoff 81 yards to the Dolphins’ 10-yard line, and Cincinnati scored three plays later.

Riley Patterson made his only field-goal attempt from 29 yards, but his kickoff after Miami’s first touchdown fell short of the landing zone and drew a penalty. He later hit the left upright on the extra point after Willis’ touchdown with 45 seconds remaining, leaving Miami down seven, before the onside attempt went out of bounds.

Wright also muffed his first kickoff return, although he recovered and advanced it 32 yards.

Bradley Pinion was the bright spot, averaging 58 yards on two punts with a 51.5-yard net average. 

Overall: D

Gordon’s production over the past two weeks is the clearest reason to feel encouraged about this offense, but the passing game will have to be at least functional for any meaningful offensive progress to happen.

The Dolphins converted just two of its first eight third downs before going 5-for-5 in the fourth quarter, when they were already clawing back from an 18-point deficit.

While the late production shows an ability to handle adversity and a refusal to lay down, it doesn’t erase the litany of deficiencies that will have to be addressed before this offense can be competitive.