Cincinnati Bengals: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins Leave During Loss to Jaguars
Bengals top receivers Ja’Marr Chase (concussion) and Tee Higgins (abductor) were injured during a 22-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, leaving their timetable to return uncertain.
Chase entered the concussion protocol, while Head Coach Zac Taylor did not have an immediate update on Higgins after he left the game on Cincinnati’s final drive.
The Bengals’ second straight defeat left them severely shorthanded at wide receiver. Andrei Iosivas is on injured reserve after having thumb surgery, and Colbie Young (knee) missed Sunday’s game.
Cincinnati signed Mitchell Tinsley last week, and he had three catches for 49 yards against Jacksonville. However, if Chase and Higgins can’t play against the Miami Dolphins in Week 5, the Bengals may explore signing more reinforcements.
The Bengals leaned on Higgins (11 catches, 157 yards) after Chase was injured in the first half, but they were stopped on a potential game-winning drive on their final possession. On fourth down, running back Chase Brown was tackled after catching a pass on Jacksonville’s 12-yard line, one yard short of a first down that would have kept the drive alive.
Cincinnati had little success running the ball (23 yards on 15 carries) against Jacksonville, and Joe Burrow threw for 428 yards but also tossed two costly interceptions.
The Bengals (2-2) have missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons but entered this season with high expectations after being aggressive in free agency to fortify their defense. After losing to Jacksonville, Taylor’s voice was heard through the wall that separates the media room from the locker room, according to Ben Baby of ESPN.com.
Taylor said he was offering encouragement during his postgame speech, and Burrow said the Bengals wouldn’t panic.
“We had our opportunities in the last two weeks, but this isn’t Armageddon or anything,” Burrow said. “We’re very confident. We’re 2-2, but nobody wins a championship after Week 4.”