The Cincinnati Bengals lost in Week 12 to the New England Patriots, but their playoff hopes are still alive at 3-8 due to their remaining two matchups against the Baltimore Ravens.
One of those matchups is coming on Thursday, Thanksgiving Night. While Joe Burrow is expected to be back for the Bengals, the weapons at his disposal won't be ideal.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that head coach Zac Taylor officially made a status update for Tee Higgins for Week 13, and it's a brutal one.
Bengals to be without Tee Higgins in pivotal Week 13 matchup vs. Ravens
"Bengals HC told reporters that Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson will not play Thursday night vs. The Ravens," Schefter reports.
Losing Higgins right as Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase are coming back is a tough blow for the Bengals' offense. The Bengals still won't have their offense back together despite signs last week pointing towards their offense being good to go for Week 13.
More: How Ja'Marr Chase's suspension can cost Bengals' WR over $500,000
Chase was suspended one week for spitting on Jalen Rams ey, while Burrow was held out one extra week as a precaution to get more rest for the short week.
That short week, combined with Higgins being in the concussion protocol, made his chances of suiting up on Thursday very slim.
With Burrow expected to return in Week 13, he will have to beat the Ravens without one of his top receivers, as Higgins is ruled out for the big Thanksgiving matchup.
Chase, Chase Brown, Mike Gesicki, Andrei Iosivas, and Mitchell Tinsley will be Burrow's main targets in Week 13 in a must-win matchup against the division rival Ravens.
More Bengals News:
- Bengals Ja'Marr Chase to sit out one game, as NFL will reportedly uphold his suspension
- Ja'Marr Chase suspension: Why spitting incident with Jalen Ramsey led to one-game ban
- Bengals' defense graded as worst in NFL history through 10 games since 1978
- Bengals get brutal injury update on second-round standout defender