The Bengals are back from their bye with a familiar kind of problem waiting for them: Baltimore.
Cincinnati enters Week 6 at 3-2 after beating the Miami Dolphins in Week 5, and the next step is another AFC North meeting, this one against the Ravens on Sunday at Paycor Stadium. Baltimore is coming off a loss to the Cleveland Browns, a game in which Lamar Jackson sat out because of an ankle sprain. Jackson is likely to return against the Bengals, which adds a layer of concern for Cincinnati, even if the injury could leave him less than 100 percent.
That said, the Bengals have plenty of reason to feel they can keep up. Joe Burrow has already had several huge performances against the Ravens, including four 300-yard games, two 400-yard games and a 500-yard outing on Boxing Day in 2021.
That 2021 game was a Tee Higgins showcase. He torched Baltimore with 12 catches for 194 yards and two touchdowns, and Sunday offers another chance for him to do damage in what could turn into a shootout.
Higgins has been operating at an elite level this season, even if the attention still tends to go elsewhere. Playing alongside Ja’Marr Chase naturally pulls some of the spotlight, but the numbers say Higgins has been one of Cincinnati’s most important weapons. He has 27 receptions for 423 yards and the touchdown catch against the Steelers, while Chase also has 27 catches but has totaled 289 yards and four touchdowns.
The most telling part of Higgins’ season may be where Burrow keeps going when the windows tighten. Higgins leads the NFL with 16 contested targets, twice as many as Chase’s eight. That puts him well ahead of other big names in that category, including Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Puka Nacua and Brock Bowers at 10 apiece, and CeeDee Lamb at nine.
And Higgins is doing more than just drawing those throws. His catch rate on contested targets is over 60%, which sits above the league average. That’s why Burrow keeps trusting him in those moments: Higgins keeps finishing the play.
He may not be getting the same level of attention as Chase, and he’s not getting nearly enough credit compared with the rest of the league either. Higgins has been elite, and the Ravens may be the latest team to get a reminder of it.
In Other News...
Bengals Have A Special Teams Problem Beyond Their Star Kicker
Evan McPherson has given the Bengals a rare sense of stability on special teams this season, but the unit around him has been anything but steady. While the kicker has been handling his part, Cincinnati has dealt with roughing-the-kicker penalties, muffed punts and other costly breakdowns that have put added stress on a roster already trying to make every possession count.
The problems have extended beyond the return game, too. Punter Ryan Rehkows average yards per punt sits near the bottom of the NFL, and coverage miscues have repeatedly turned routine hidden-yardage situations into trouble. For a team that has needed cleaner execution in close games, special teams has become one more area where mistakes have carried real consequences. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Burrows Mom Opens Up About The Bengals Stars Rise
A new Bengals-focused podcast series is leaning into the family side of football, with The Enquirer set to roll out Beyond Sunday as a special-edition look at five mothers of Cincinnati players. The project opens with Robin Burrow, who discusses her familys football experiences and the path that helped shape Joe Burrow into the franchises quarterback.
Published weekly on Cincinnati.com from Oct. 21 through Nov. 18, the series is built around the perspective of the women who have watched the Bengals rise from close range. Robin Burrows episode is expected to touch on the milestones that marked Joes climb, along with the recruiting and big-stage moments that defined his journey, giving fans a more personal view of one of the most followed players in the league. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Make Last-Minute Roster Moves Before Crucial Ravens Trip
With injuries stacking up and a trip to Baltimore looming, the Bengals continued to shuffle the bottom of their roster in search of some short-term help. Cincinnati signed safety Russ Yeast to the active roster, brought tight end Josh Kattus and linebacker Emany Johnson onto the practice squad, and moved on from safety Isaiah Nwokobia on the practice squad as the team tries to keep enough depth in place for a crucial week.
The timing fits the reality of this point in the season, when every practice-squad move can matter a little more than usual. Cincinnati has been working through personnel issues while getting ready for a Ravens matchup that carries real weight, and the roster activity suggests the staff is still sorting out how best to patch together the backup layers behind the main lineup. [Read more 🡒]