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CINCINNATI -- Linebacker Vontaze Burfict is finished with his NFL suspension, looking to put his emphatic imprint on Cincinnatis struggling defense.Tight end Tyler Eifert is close to full strength after recovering from ankle surgery, eager to become the top passing option near the goal line again.The Bengals are finally back together, looking to dig out of their worst start in five years when they host the Dolphins on Thursday night.The Bengals (1-2) have been out of sync on both offense and defense. They failed to make any game-turning plays in the fourth quarter of back-to-back losses against the Steelers and the Broncos. With Burfict back and Eifert close to form, theyve got two of their top playmakers available again.I just do my job, take control of my defense, just be a leader out there, Burfict said. I do what I can.The Dolphins (1-2) are simply trying to hold it together. They got their first victory on Sunday in overtime when Cleveland missed a field goal at the end of regulation.There wasnt much time to celebrate because of the quick turnaround and a mess on offense.Tight end Jordan Cameron suffered his fourth concussion and has been ruled out for Thursday night. Left tackle Branden Albert and center Anthony Steen have sprained ankles.Right tackle JaWuan James was pulled from the game against Cleveland after allowing a late sack. Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey has missed the first three games while recovering from a hip injury.Well see where it goes, coach Adam Gase said. Weve got a couple of moving pieces, obviously, with our injury situation.Its a game that neither team can afford to lose.Being 1-2, in my opinion, we need to definitely finish the quarter (of the season) at 2-2 and go from there, or else we put ourselves in a very tough bind for the rest of the season, Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh said.Some things to watch on Thursday night:HOW MUCH FOR BURFICT?Its likely that Burfict will play most of the game on Thursday even though he missed the preseason and the first three games. Last season, Burfict was recovering from knee surgery and missed the first six games. In his return in Pittsburgh, he made solo tackles on the first two plays and was on the field for nearly half of the defenses plays.Well just see how its going, defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said. Thats kind of what happened in Pittsburgh last year. I said, `Every series, just tell me how youre feeling and well go from there.RUN ITAfter getting next-to-nothing out of its running game in the first two games, Cincinnati put an emphasis on it Sunday and got immediate results. Jeremy Hill carried four times for 65 yards in an opening touchdown drive. After that, the Bengals managed only 78 yards on 25 carries, an average of 3.1. It was better, but still not up to standards. The Dolphins run defense is second-to-last in the league.SPUTTERING DOLPHINSQuarterback Ryan Tannehill is the Dolphins leading rusher with 54 yards on the season, and they used four running backs in Sundays win over Cleveland with limited success. Gase said he sees progress in the ground game. The rotation at running back came about with starter Arian Foster sidelined by a groin injury.Youd always love to be able to say, `Lets get a guy in there and get 15, 20 touches and see how it goes, Gase said. I need somebody to step up and be consistent and do their job throughout the entire game, not just one good play here and then we screw up, and then another good play. Were too up-and-down.PLAUDITS FOR PUNTERStruggling to find someone to praise this week, Gase cited his punter -- perhaps a sign things the season arent going well. Second-year pro Matt Darr averaged 48.8 yards against Cleveland and put four of his six kicks inside the 20. Darr understands that punters can make a big impact on a game when the offense is struggling.Weve got all kinds of weapons on this team -- offense, defense -- and on special teams there should be some, too, Darr said.HOME BLUESThe Bengals are only 10-6 at Paul Brown Stadium in the past two seasons, including a first-round playoff loss to Pittsburgh. The Bengals play their next two games at Dallas and New England, underscoring how important it is for the defending AFC North champions to win on Thursday.---AP Sports Writer Steven Wine in Miami contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFLRobby Thompson Jersey . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. Conner Menez Jersey . -- Jakob Silfverberg is making himself right at home with the Anaheim Ducks, scoring four goals in his first four games. https://www.cheapjerseysgiants.us/2446u-shaun-anderson-jersey-giants.html . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Goose Gossage Jersey . How great will be revealed in the next couple of days at the board of governors meeting in Pebble Beach, Calif. Sal Maglie Jersey . Mitch Holmberg added a goal and three assists. Connor Chartier also scored for the Chiefs (3-0-0). Luke Harrison spoiled Garrett Hughsons shutout bid with a power-play goal at 13:17 of the third period. The Spokane goaltender finished with 28 saves, including a Brandon Fushimi penalty shot in the second period that would have tied the game 1-1.Ohio State could wind up ranked No. 2 in the country at the end of the season and not make its conference championship game.The Buckeyes lost control of their destiny last Saturday not because of what they did on the field in their second consecutive 62-3 victory but as a result of Michigans loss at Iowa.The Wolverines first setback this season pushed them into a three-way tie with Ohio State and Penn State atop the Big Ten East Division.What the season comes down to is this: If the Buckeyes win their final two games, against Michigan State on Saturday (noon ET, ESPN) and Michigan the following week, theyll need the Nittany Lions to lose one of their final two games against Rutgers and Michigan State to secure a spot in Indianapolis for the Big Ten championship game.If Michigan had remained undefeated entering its annual showdown with Ohio State and then lost to the Buckeyes, it would have created a three-way tie atop the standings, assuming Penn State wins out. The tiebreaker scenario in that case would have favored Ohio State.Michigan, meanwhile, still controls its fate. Penn State, by virtue of an upset of Ohio State, has the next-best chance of going to Indianapolis.So, for the second straight year, Ohio State could ultimately end up being the best team in the Big Ten at the end of the season and not make the conference title game.The question then becomes: Would a one-loss Ohio State team that didnt win its conference championship still land one of the four spots in the College Football Playoff?I see it like this: If we win out all our games, Big Ten championship or not, youre not going to put us in? Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett asked. Like youre going to leave Ohio State out? That doesnt make sense to me.The answers will be provided in the next three weeks. In the meantime, all the Buckeyes (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) can do is prepare for Saturdays visit to East Lansing to take on the struggling Spartans (3-7, 1-6), who entered the week as 24-point underdogs.Novembers here and we have a big one coming, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said.Entering the season, Saturdays matchup against Michigan State was one of the games circled on the calendar as a potential blockbuster. But the Spartans, after winning the Big Ten championship a year ago, limp into the game with just one conference win, which finally came last Saturday when they ended a seven-game losing streak with a 49-0 victory over Rutgers.Weve come to play every single foottball game, so its unfortunate where were at, said Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio, a former Ohio State assistant.dddddddddddd But you cant look past it. You cant look backward here; you have to look to the future. Ohio State is a big game for us, for this program, and always has been. A lot of guys from Ohio, so its a special game in that respect.All thats left for Michigan State now is the chance to impact the Big Ten East race in their final two games against Big Ten East co-leaders Ohio State and Penn State. A win Saturday would be a stunner, but the Spartans werent expected to win last year in Columbus.We have reasons to play, even if its in a spoiler fashion, Dantonio said. There are possibilities as we go forward. And I think that as we look at who were playing -- two very good football teams, two Top 10 football teams -- weve got our work cut out for us as we always do. But weve got every reason to play.Ohio State shouldnt have any problems getting hyped for this one, knowing whats at stake as far as their championship hopes. The Buckeyes undoubtedly will also remember the pain of their only loss last year, when Michigan State spoiled a perfect season with an upset on the last play of the game in the rain in Columbus.As the Buckeyes left the field last Saturday in College Park, Md., hours before Michigan stumbled at Iowa, they were feeling good about their performance against Maryland and thinking about avenging the 2015 loss to Michigan State.Theres a little bit of human element that comes into the game, especially with them ruining senior night for us last year and ruining the season we were supposed to have last year, Ohio State guard Billy Price said. Its in the back of your head, absolutely.Ohio State appears to have ironed out issues on offense since the Oct. 22 loss at Penn State, outscoring Nebraska and Maryland 124-3 in the last two games.Theres more of a concerted effort to get the ball in H-back Curtis Samuels hands. He has game-breaking talent -- he is the only FBS player with at least 600 yards rushing (637) and receiving (750), and he has 13 touchdowns (seven rushing, six receiving).He just knows how to make a play, Buckeyes cornerback Marshon Lattimore said. He knows how to go out there and do what he has to do to put us in a position to win. I love when he touches the ball. ' ' '