The Cincinnati Bengals Must Use 12 Personnel

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cincinnati Bengals Must Use 12 Personnel

Originally posted on TWSN | By Garret Staples | Last updated Oct 10, 2026 11:51 PM ET

The Cincinnati Bengals Must Use 12 Personnel

No matter the status of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins for the Bengals, Zac Taylor and Dan Pitcher should be in 12 personnel running the football for Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Bengals have major injuries in their wide receiver room, with their two star wide receivers, Ja’Marr Chase, trying to return from Concussion protocol and Tee Higgins fighting through a groin injury. The Bengals offense has been very one-dimensional, relying on Joe Burrow’s arm and the passing attack. With Chase and Higgins in question.

The running game has struggled. Chase Brown has been unproductive, ranking last in rushing statistics against Pittsburgh: 13 carries for 61 yards, and regressing against the Jacksonville Jaguars: 9 carries for 10 yards. The Cincinnati Bengals are traveling to Miami to face the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins are 0 and 4 and reeling.

This is the perfect time for the Bengals to reestablish their running game, putting Joe Burrow under center, getting hat on hat, being physical up front, and giving the offensive line the opportunity to get downhill imposing their will on defensive line of the Dolphins, wearing them down creating running lanes for Chase Brown to explode through getting to the second level making the game easier on Burrow and the passing game. The Bengals should use 12 personnel with tight ends and fullbacks to create matchup advantages on the ground.

Breaking: Ja’Marr Chase is dressed for practice. #Bengals @FOX19 pic.twitter.com/YkD8HlX6jB
— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) October 8, 2026

Ja’Marr Chase May Return from Concussion Protocol

Ja’Marr Chase has practiced. The Bengals 1-A receiver is trying to be cleared from concussion protocol to play Sunday in Miami after going into protocol last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, when his facemask was yanked, which caused a penalty. Higgins (1-B receiver) looks a week or two away, fighting through a groin injury limiting acceleration and gaining separation from defensive backs.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher should be featuring under-center runs, I-formation with a fullback, which the Bengals have run at times, and use the running backs and pound on the Dolphins’ defensive line into submission. Injuries at wide receiver should trigger Taylor to not get pass-happy as a play caller and do Burrow a favor by keeping him clean, running the football early and often, and taking control of the game on the ground. The Bengals being the more physical team is the way to get to 3 and 2 and avoid an embarrassing meltdown to a winless Miami Dolphins team.

This article first appeared on TWSN and was syndicated with permission.

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