The Cincinnati Bengals are searching for answers after a crushing shutout, and the biggest question mark remains Tee Higgins. The star receiver has been sidelined for two of the past three games with back-to-back concussions, leaving his availability for Sunday’s trip to Miami in serious doubt.
With the postseason out of reach, head coach Zac Taylor faces a delicate balance: prioritizing player safety while trying to spark an offense that just hit rock bottom.
Is Tee Higgins Finally Ready to Return?
Higgins is still fighting his way back. He logged two limited practices last week but remained in the NFL’s concussion protocol as of Monday. Taylor confirmed that the hurdle hasn’t been cleared yet, meaning the receiver’s status is still a waiting game. The first injury report of Week 16 will tell the real story. If he upgrades to a full practice, he’s got a shot. If he stays limited, the outlook remains murky.
The path to the field is strict. Higgins needs to complete a symptom-free full session and receive clearance from an independent neurologist. Until then, the Bengals are preparing for every scenario. His return would be a massive boost for a unit that looked lost last week, but the team isn’t going to rush a player recovering from two head injuries in such a short window.
It’s not just Higgins on the mend. Taylor described the roster’s health as fluid, noting that several players are dealing with bumps and bruises. Despite the banged-up locker room, the coach isn’t ruling anyone out just yet. He emphasized that while practice workloads will be managed, the door is open for key contributors to suit up.
“There’s nobody I’m ready to say can’t go right now,” Taylor said about the injury situation in general. “We had a bunch of guys that kind of got nicked up and will be limited throughout the week, but nobody, I’d say, with extreme confidence, can’t go on Sunday.”
“Maybe as the week progresses, we’ll get there. … Guys that will come up on the injury report are going to be Kris Jenkins, Joseph Osai, Amarius Mims, Noah Fant, Charlie Jones, those are the main ones that strike me right now. But again, we’ll keep working through the week and see where those guys end up.”
Can the Bengals Offense Wake Up in Miami?
Cincinnati is trying to shake off a 24-0 home loss to the Ravens, a performance Taylor bluntly called “unacceptable.” The issues were everywhere: stalled drives, controllable penalties, and missed scoring chances, despite entering plus territory multiple times. Fixing that against the Dolphins starts with protecting the quarterback and avoiding third-and-long situations against a fast defensive front.
Suppose Higgins can play; his ability to win on the outside changes the geometry of the field. He opens up spacing for intermediate routes and gives the red-zone offense a legitimate target.
If he sits, the Bengals have to rely on quick timing and spreading the ball around. On the other hand, the defense must limit big plays and execute tackles effectively in space. Taylor is managing the workload this week, but Sunday’s game is about pride and proving the offense still has a pulse.
