The Cincinnati Bengals have now fallen to 4-10 on the season after an embarrassing loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The offense was shut out for the first time all season, and it was one of Joe Burrow’s worst games I can remember.
The Bengals’ season has been over since Burrow went down in week 2, but it’s finally mathematically official that the Bengals are eliminated from the playoffs. The Bengals have three games left in their season, and they need to protect their future and not let Burrow or Tee Higgins play another snap of football this season.
Should The Bengals Sit Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins?
The Bengals’ season is over, and the rest of this season should be about getting the young players snaps and seeing what you have for next year. It should also be about protecting players who are currently playing through injuries. The two biggest names on that list would be Burrow and Higgins.
Burrow came back faster than anyone thought he would to help the Bengals get into the playoffs, but that dream is now over. Burrow just played one of his worst games in recent memory and was reportedly seen limping at Paycor today. His playing another game and risking greater injury to that toe makes no sense for the Bengals or Burrow.
Burrow hasn’t exactly been playing lights out this year either. His PFSN QB Impact Score is just 76.7, which would be 15th in the NFL. If the Bengals were in playoff contention, then absolutely play him. However, they aren’t, and the best thing the Bengals could do is secure as high a draft pick as possible, and playing Burrow doesn’t help either his health or their chances.
Higgins is another one of the Bengals’ best players who should be shut down for the rest of the year. Higgins missed his second game, suffering his second concussion of the season. Against the Bills, Higgins hit his head multiple times and looked out of sorts, juggling passes he normally wouldn’t.
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Then, after the game, he reported concussion-like symptoms and missed the past game against the Ravens. A third concussion could quickly cause numerous issues for Higgins. Bringing him back with nothing to play for truly would be a terrible decision by Zac Taylor and company.
The Bengals won’t be playing for anything except a better draft spot in these last three games of the season. They are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and should rest players as a result. The two biggest players who should rest are Burrow and Higgins. Will they do it? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t.
