Latest Tee Higgins injury update isn’t what the Bengals needed

Despite entering the 2024 NFL season with Super Bowl aspirations, the Cincinnati Bengals got off to a brutal start, losing each of their first three games. They've responded quite well, winning three of their last four games to improve to 3-4 entering their Week 8 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, saving their season in the process. Their only loss during that stretch was a 41-38 defeat against a Baltimore Ravens team that looks unbeatable right now.

A big reason why Cincinnati has played better of late has to do with Tee Higgins. Ja'Marr Chase generates most of the headlines, and rightfully so, but Higgins has averaged 75.5 yards in Cincinnati's last four games, catching three touchdowns in that span. Higgins sat the first two games of the season and the Bengals lost them both, averaging fewer than 20 points per game in those losses. It's no secret that their offense is a whole lot better with him in it.

With that in mind, the news that Higgins injured his right quad in practice and might miss Sunday's game against Philadelphia according to ESPN's Dan Graziano is tough for Bengals fans to see.

Tee Higgins injury update is a frustrating one for the Bengals

There's still a chance Higgins plays, as Graziano notes that the Bengals will only decide right before game time, but the fact that there's pessimism about his availability is unfortunate.

The Eagles haven't exactly lit the world on fire this season against non-New York Giants opponents, but they're formidable enough to the point where a Higgins injury could impact the game's result, especially when considering how bad this Bengals offense looked without Higgins to begin the season.

The Bengals have done well to get back in the playoff discussion, but with the team still under .500 and playing in a very tough AFC North division, their path to getting to the playoffs is not easy. They're going to have to play extremely well to squeak into the playoffs.

Getting back to the .500 mark would be huge for Cincinnati's postseason hopes, but how likely is that if Higgins can't play or is extremely limited? Additionally, will this quad injury linger into the next couple of weeks to come?

Thanks to their slow start, the Bengals can't afford many more losses if they want to make the playoffs. Any Higgins injury makes their path to the playoffs that much tougher, which they can ill afford.