The Cincinnati Bengals are staring down a must-win Week 5 road game against the 0-4 Dolphins, but their path to getting back on track just got a whole lot tougher. Star wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are both navigating serious injuries, putting their status for Sunday completely up in the air. This ain’t just a bump in the road; it’s a massive hole for a team that has already dropped back-to-back contests.
Burrow’s Go-To Guys On The Sidelines? What’s Going On?!
Head coach Zac Taylor just told reporters that Ja’Marr Chase is still stuck in the league’s concussion protocol after taking a hit in last weekend’s 22-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. That’s brutal. And if that wasn’t enough, Tee Higgins is dealing with an adductor injury he picked up late in that same Jaguars game. The word is he’ll be limited in practice, which never inspires confidence for a Sunday kickoff.
These aren’t just any receivers, either. Chase and Higgins are two of the 15 highest-paid wideouts in the entire NFL, according to Over the Cap, and for good reason. Higgins, a 2020 second-round pick out of Clemson, leads the team with a whopping 25 catches and 401 receiving yards this season. Chase, the 2021 No. 5 overall pick, is tied for second with 21 grabs, his 212 receiving yards are second-most, and his three touchdown receptions tie him for first on the team. These guys are Joe Burrow’s absolute go-to targets in an offense that just threw the ball a ridiculous 54 times and ran it only 15 times against the Jags. Can you imagine that workload without them?
Cincinnati’s Offensive Woes Are Piling Up
Listen, the Bengals’ run game is already in the gutter, ranking second to last in the NFL with just 74.3 rushing yards per game and tied for 26th with 3.6 yards per carry. Burrow said he’s “open to throwing even more” after the Jags game, but how’s that gonna work with a receiving corps that’s falling apart? It’s not just Chase and Higgins, either. Andrei Iosivas is on injured reserve with a thumb issue that needed surgery, and rookie Colbie Young went down with a knee injury back in Week 3 against the Steelers.
So, who’s left to step up? Last weekend, with Chase and Higgins compromised, Mitch Tinsley, Dohnte Meyers, and tight end Mike Gesicki had to carry the load. Tinsley, who used to be on the Texans’ practice squad but snagged two touchdowns for Cincinnati last season, caught three balls for 49 yards. Meyers, a former CFL standout, came up big with seven receptions for 82 yards. Gesicki added three catches, 40 yards, and a score. The good news for Burrow, if there is any, is that the Dolphins are a sieve against the pass. They’re letting passers complete an insane 77.9% of their attempts. Only the Cowboys and Cardinals are giving up more net yards per pass attempt than Miami’s 7.7. That’s a target-rich environment, but who’s gonna catch those targets?
This Sunday in Miami is huge for a 2-2 Bengals squad trying to avoid sinking further. They’ve dropped two in a row, and facing an 0-4 Dolphins team felt like a ‘get-right’ game. But now, with their top two guys potentially sidelined, it’s a completely different challenge. Joe Burrow might be open to throwing more, but who’s he throwing to? The Dolphins’ pass defense is leaky, giving up almost 78% completion and 7.7 net yards per pass attempt, so there’s an opening. But man, without Chase and Higgins, this could be a grind. Cincinnati needs to figure out who’s stepping up fast, or that win column is gonna stay out of reach.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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