The Bengals are back in the spotlight in Week 4, and Tee Higgins looks positioned to make the Jaguars pay in the one area where Jacksonville is most vulnerable.
Cincinnati heads to Paycor Stadium off a 30-27 loss at Pittsburgh that stopped its perfect start and left the AFC North knotted at 2-1. Now the Bengals get Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars in a matchup that brings together two former No. 1 overall picks, Lawrence and Joe Burrow.
Burrow leaned on his top targets against the Steelers, and Higgins stood out. He finished with six catches for 90 yards and a 28-yard touchdown, hauling in a difficult grab while going to the turf with Asante Samuel Jr. in coverage.
That kind of production is exactly why Higgins could be set up for another big day.
He already has nearly 250 receiving yards this season, and while plenty of Jaguars fans may expect the attention to go to Ja’Marr Chase because of his three touchdowns, Higgins has been the more productive receiver in terms of yardage. More importantly, the matchup points directly in his favor when the field shrinks.
Jacksonville has been excellent overall on defense, allowing a league-low 12.0 points per game. Anthony Campanile’s unit also brings pressure with Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen.
But the numbers get interesting in the red zone, where the Jaguars are far more aggressive in man coverage than they are elsewhere. Yahoo Sports has them at a modest 15.9% man coverage rate overall, but that jumps to 65% of red-zone snaps, the second-highest mark in the NFL.
That’s where Higgins enters the picture.
He has been the best wide receiver in the league against man coverage this season, according to PFF. Higgins owns a 95.1 grade in those situations, which ranks first in the NFL ahead of Garrett Wilson (93.7), Josh Downs (93.2) and Amon-Ra St Brown (92.1).
Put it all together and the path is clear: if Jacksonville leans toward Chase and plays man coverage near the goal line, Higgins should see his share of one-on-one chances in the end zone. That’s a dangerous setup for a receiver who has already shown he can win in tight spaces and finish the play.
In Other News...
Bengals Loss Exposed A Bigger Problem Than Just One Bad Night
The Bengals Week 4 loss to Jacksonville was more than a frustrating 22-17 finish, because it also forced a hard look at how much of the roster held up when the game tightened. Cincinnati still got encouraging work from Dohnte Meyers and Tee Higgins, but the night turned choppy quickly after JaMarr Chase left for a concussion evaluation, and the offense never really settled into a rhythm from there.
What made the result sting was how many layers of the operation looked off at once. Jordan Battle and Dylan Fairchild drew criticism for their play, Zac Taylors offensive adjustments did not seem to solve the Jaguars pressure points, and Joe Burrows decision-making under pressure came under the microscope again, leaving the Bengals with a familiar but troubling question about whether this was just a bad night or something deeper. [Read more 🡒]
Tee Higgins Injury Leaves Bengals Facing One Big Offensive Concern
Tee Higgins night against the Jaguars ended with a late adductor injury, and it left the Bengals with one of the more immediate questions they can face this early in the week. Higgins tried to come back after leaving the game, but he was unable to continue, and Cincinnati still has not offered any recovery timeline as the team awaits further evaluation.
For a passing game that leans heavily on Higgins as one of its top targets, the timing matters as much as the injury itself. The Bengals now have to sort through what comes next without knowing how long they may be without him, and that uncertainty adds another layer to an offense already trying to keep its footing. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Suddenly Face A Ja'Marr Chase Scare They Can't Afford
JaMarr Chases afternoon against Jacksonville took an unwelcome turn when a facemask hit led to a head injury and a concussion evaluation, forcing the Bengals star receiver out of the game for a stretch. For a Cincinnati offense that leans heavily on Chase to set the tone, any pause in his availability immediately changes the feel of the sideline and the play-calling.
Zac Taylor also pointed to the broader reality the Bengals are dealing with, noting the strain of injuries across the receiver room with Chase among the players affected. Even when Chase is only listed as questionable to return, the ripple effect is clear for a team that cannot afford to lose more firepower while trying to stay on schedule offensively. [Read more 🡒]