Against a high-flying Bengals aerial attack, an unmistakable spotlight on Miami Dolphins veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas has arrived for Week 16.
For Burrow, he's as comfortable diagnosing coverage pre-snap as he is attacking leverage post-snap, and Ja’Marr Chase remains the ultimate stress test for any corner -- capable of winning vertically, after the catch, or on in-breaking routes where he's nearly uncoverable.
For Miami, that means Douglas isn't just covering a receiver; he is part of a larger structural answer to how the Dolphins intend to slow down an elite connection.
Rasul Douglas must be on his game for the Miami Dolphins in Week 16
For the nine-year vet and former third-rounder all the way back in 2017, Douglas enters the week as Miami’s most targeted corner, a statistic that underscores both his importance and the burden he carries. Opposing quarterbacks have tested him repeatedly, resulting in 31 catches allowed on 58 targets for 294 yards, and while those numbers suggest volume more than vulnerability, they also highlight how often Douglas is placed in high-leverage situations.
He has surrendered two touchdowns as the primary man in coverage, yet that total is balanced by two interceptions -- an illustration of the volatility inherent in his game and, in many ways, the risk-reward profile of Miami’s coverage approach.
And as you take the layers back, what makes Douglas especially critical against Cincinnati is his ability to contest the catch point and disrupt routes with physicality. Burrow thrives when receivers are allowed free access and clean stems; Douglas’ willingness to challenge releases can throw off timing, even if it occasionally leads to targets his way.
Against Chase and a Bengals offense that thrives on spacing and rhythm, even a half-second of disruption can force Burrow to move to a secondary read.
Because even as takeaways can swing momentum, avoiding explosive plays is equally vital against an offense designed to punish mistakes. And if Douglas can continue to bait throws without surrendering chunk gains, he gives the Dolphins a fighting chance to keep the Bengals from turning efficiency into inevitability.