Former Illinois running back has monster day for the Cincinnati Bengals

Former Illinois football running back Chase Brown put on a clinic in Miami on Sunday, helping to lead the Cincinnati Bengals to a 45-21 win over the Dolphins.

It was a bit of a one-sided affair for Joe Burrow and Company, with Miami struggling to keep up through all four quarters of the game. It ended up being a performance that we'd expect from this Bengals offense, especially with the 407 total yards they put up on the day.

The Bengals put on an impressive offensive display, with top wideouts Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combining for 162 receiving yards and a touchdown on 12 receptions. But in the end, it was their tailback Chase Brown who was the major story from this battle of two teams that are under .500.

Chase Brown ran wild all over the Miami Dolphins in South Beach

Brown, who was drafted by the Bengals in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL Draft, was a four-year member of the Illinois football team between 2019 and 2022. He was the premier back in head coach Bret Bielema's offense in the final two years of his tenure, racking up 2,648 yards and 15 scores in 22 games played.

He was one of the most dynamic rushers in the nation during his time in college, and Brown showed us just that Sunday against the Dolphins. The London, Ontario, product had a day for the ages, racking up 109 total yards (66 rushing and 43 receiving) and three total touchdowns.

The best part was that a majority of that work came in just the third quarter. Brown ended up finding pay dirt three times in a span of seven minutes and eighteen seconds, widening the Bengals' lead to 38-14.

Chase Brown benefits greatly from the matchup and Joe Burrow being healthy

It has been a rough year for the Bengals. This team had so much promise coming into the season, and the loss of Burrow earlier in the year made that go away in one fell swoop. But when the former LSU signal caller is in the lineup, this team is a completely different unit.

Just take Burrow's performance today, for example. When you have a passer who can put up 300+ yards and four scores in one game, your offense is going to have an amazing afternoon. Every member of the roster is going to end up benefiting from Burrow, and Brown was the greatest beneficiary of them all.

Sure, some will say that it's just the Dolphins and that they had nothing to play for, but Brown has had flashes of brilliance in even more precarious situations. He has increased his production on a yearly basis, and if Brown had Burrow all year, then who knows where he'd be in his career.

It was a big game for the former Illini, and we couldn't be happier for him. Congrats to Brown, and here's hoping for more games like this in the future.