On a day when the temperature on the field in Miami hit 100 degrees, Joe Burrow was hot and the Dolphins were not.
Burrow threw four touchdown passes against a hapless Dolphins defense. The Dolphins’ offense couldn’t overcome the frequent mistakes from Malik Willis, who threw two interceptions and fumbled twice. Willis made some plays in garbage time to make his stats and the score look better than they really were, but Cincinnati rolled to an easy 31-24 win.
Burrow spread the ball around, with Ja’Marr Chase, Tanner Hudson, Samaje Perine and Mike Gesicki all catching touchdown passes. The Dolphins’ defense, which never sacked Burrow, made it easy for him to find open receivers.
The 0-5 Dolphins may be the worst team in the NFL, and they may want to be the worst team in the NFL. This isn’t a team that’s built to win, it’s a team that’s built to get a high pick in the draft and hope to win some day in the future.
The 3-2 Bengals look like they could win this year. In a wide-open AFC North, the Bengals look like contenders.
The Vikings had both of their top wide receivers listed as questionable on their final injury report of Week 5 and the gameday decisions went in different directions.
Justin Jefferson will play after missing last Sunday’s win over the Dolphins with an ankle injury, but Jordan Addison will miss the game with a hamstring injury. There was some thought that Odell Beckham Jr. would make his Vikings debut on Sunday, but he is also inactive.
Beckham signed to the practice squad this week and was elevated on Saturday, but Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said he’d only play if the team was missing one of the other wideouts. They are, but Beckham is still out of the lineup. Jauan Jennings, Tai Felton, Myles Price, and practice squad elevation Jeshaun Jones are the other wideouts.
Vikings at Saints
Vikings: WR Jordan Addison, WR Odell Beckham Jr., S Jakobe Thomas, QB Max Brosmer, CB Chuck Demmings, OT Christian Darrisaw, DL Elijah Williams
Saints: QB Zach Wilson, LB Anfernee Jennings, S Mike Reid, LB Kaden Elliss, G Jeremiah Wright, DL Vernon Broughton, DL Nathan Shepherd
Bears at Packers
Bears: QB Caleb Williams, RB Kyle Monangai, OL Ozzy Trapilo, LB Keyshaun Elliott, DL Jamree Kromah, DL Jayden Loving.
Packers: OL Jacob Monk, OL Aaron Banks, OL Donovan Jennings, DL Anthony Campbell
Bengals at Dolphins
Bengals: S Kyle Dugger, OT Myles Hinton, TE Jack Endries, WR Colbie Young, OL Connor Lew, DT Landon Robinson
Dolphins: WR Caleb Douglas, RB Kaytron Allen, CB Reese Taylor, DE Rob Beal, OL DJ Campbell, TE Justin Joly, OL Chukwuebuka Godrick
Raiders at Patriots
Raiders: WR Jalen Nailor, S Tristin McCollum, S Dalton Johnson, C Trey Zuhn, DT J.J. Pegues, RB Roman Hemby, QB Aidan O’Connell
Patriots: QB Behren Morton, OT Dametrious Crownover, CB Christian Gonzalez, CB Carlton Davis, CB Karon Prunty, CB Channing Canada
Browns at Jets
Browns: QB Taylen Green, WR Tylan Wallace, TE Carsen Ryan, C Parker Brailsford, G Teven Jenkins, DT Mike Hall Jr., DT Mason Graham
Jets: RB Breece Hall, WR Adonai Mitchell, G Dylan Parham, LB Nate Lynn, LB Kiko Mauigoa, CB Nahshon Wright
Colts at Steelers
Colts: LB Jaylon Carlies, WR Ashton Dulin, QB Riley Leonard, WR Darius Slayton, G Dalton Tucker
Steelers: RB Rico Dowdle, QB Drew Allar, QB Will Howard, RB Eli Heidenreich, CB Jamel Dean, CB Terell Smith, DL Kevin Jobity
Texans at Titans
Texans: CB Collin Wright, DE Chris Braswell, DE Sabastian Harsh, LB Aiden Fisher, G Febechi Nwaiwu, OT Nate Thomas, TE Marlin Klein
Titans: RB Nick Singleton, RB Michael Carter, S Amani Hooker, CB Jaylon Jones, T Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, TE David Martin-Robinson, DT Jackie Marshall
Giants at Commanders
Giants: RB Devin Singletary, OL J.C. Davis, DL Bobby Jamison-Travis, S Jason Pinnock, CB Nikko Reed, QB Jake Haener
Commanders: WR Stefon Diggs, QB Marcus Mariota, S Tyler Owens, S Nick Cross, S Percy Butler, G Tanoa Togiai, DE Charles Omenihu
Dolphins defensive lineman Kenneth Grant is set to make his 2026 debut.
Grant was activated from injured reserve on Saturday, which clears the way for him to play against the Bengals on Sunday. He has been sidelined by a toe injury.
The Dolphins took Grant with the 13th overall pick in the 2025 draft. He had 33 tackles and two sacks during his rookie season.
Quarterback Brady Cook was waived to make room for Grant on the 53-man roster. Kyle McCord is now the sole backup to Malik Willis in Miami.
The Dolphins also announced that they have elevated defensive end Rodney McGraw and running back Carlos Washington.
One of the five 0-4 teams entering Week 5 (the Buccaneers) has finally gotten its first win of 2026. Four winless teams remain.
Two of them — the Chargers and Texans — made the playoffs last year.
Via NBC Sports research, the last time two playoff teams started the next year 0-4 happened in 1999. That year, both Super Bowl teams from the prior season (the Broncos and Falcons) got off to an 0-4 start.
Also, no pair of playoff teams has started 0-5 in the next season. Ever.
No playoff team has started 0-5 the next year since the 2017 Giants.
The most teams ever to start the year 0-4 is five. The 2026 quintet matches five 0-4 teams in 2009, 1996, 1991, 1979, and 1962.
With the 0-4 Texans playing the 0-4 Titans, the most possible 0-5 teams this year will be three: the Chargers, the Dolphins, and the loser of Texans-Titans.
The Dolphins have added a running back.
Miami has claimed Kaytron Allen off of waivers after Washington let him go earlier this week, the team announced on Friday.
A sixth-round pick in this year’s draft, Allen had appeared in all four games for Washington, taking 12 carries for 41 yards. He also appeared on special teams, taking 29 snaps on the unit.
The Dolphins had a need for more depth at running back, particularly after De’Von Achane suffered a torn ACL.
Jaylen Wright started for the Dolphins at running back last week, though Ollie Gordon was the leading rusher with 100 yards on nine carries.
