The Cincinnati Bengals are likely to be without wide receiver Tee Higgins for a second straight game when they host the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
Head coach Zac Taylor said Friday that Higgins and offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. are doubtful to suit up in Week 9. Higgins sustained a quad injury during practice last Friday and did not play in Cincinnati’s 37-17 loss to Philadelphia after being listed as questionable.
This would mark the fourth game Higgins has missed this year and the Bengals have struggled mightily without him. He missed the first two games of the season with a hamstring injury and last week with the quad.
The splits this year with him on and off the field look like two different teams.
|
Stat
|
On field
|
Off field
|
|---|---|---|
|
Plays
|
228
|
231
|
|
Yds/play
|
7
|
4.4
|
|
Yds/att
|
8.8
|
6.1
|
|
EPA/play
|
0.23
|
-0.1
|
|
Success%
|
52%
|
42%
|
|
Passer rating
|
120.2
|
89
|
|
ANY/A
|
8.37
|
4.98
|
|
Record
|
3-2
|
0-3
|
Higgins has been a force in the five games he has played, accounting for 29 receptions on 45 targets, 341 yards and three touchdowns. His 68.2 receiving yards per game rank 15th in the NFL entering Week 9.
The advantage the Bengals have this week compared to last week without Higgins is the full week to prepare. His quad injury tweaked while running a route on Friday last week, leaving a game plan featuring him up in smoke. Now, they’ve had all week to prepare and load up other options.
The primary of those will be tight end Mike Gesicki and rookie Jermaine Burton. The third-round pick has been talked up by coaches and quarterback Joe Burrow this week. Burton has only caught two passes this season, both deep “go” balls. There’s a good chance he passes that total in this game alone.
Also, Gesicki’s biggest games of the year have come with Higgins on the bench. In three games without Higgins, Gesicki has caught 17 passes for 172 yards. In the four games Higgins played he’s caught eight passes for 71 yards.
(Photo: Perry Knotts / Getty Images)
