The Cincinnati Bengals look to be firing on all cylinders at the perfect time now that Joe Burrow is back on the field.
Burrow's rust in Thanksgiving's blowout of the Ravens lasted all of one half. Cincinnati's defense is coming on very strong. Heck, kicker Evan McPherson is nailing his field goals left and right. Where was this last year, pal!?
What's unfortunate is this latest shot of momentum could be too little, too late for the 4-8 Bengals. That is, unless one of the team's best players returns to action for Week 14's road test at Buffalo.
Bengals WR Tee Higgins nears Week 14 return from concussion
Star wide receiver Tee Higgins suffered a scary-looking concussion in the Bengals' 26-20 loss to the Patriots in Week 12. Too short of a turnaround to play in Baltimore of course.
But that's the silver lining of a mini-bye brought on by a Thursday night game. Cincinnati had enough time for Higgins to recoup. From how he's trending in practice this week, it sure sounds like Higgins is tracking to play against the Bills.
Tee Higgins, Tahj Brooks upgraded to full participants. pic.twitter.com/2d2rHccD96
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) December 4, 2025
Higgins is an exotic wideout with elite ball skills and some of the strongest hands you'll ever see. He's not a burner who'll take the top off a defense, yet he routinely hauls in contested catches deep down the field.
Although the Bengals should focus on exploiting the Bills' 30th-ranked run defense as opposed to their league-leading pass defense, Higgins' presence could unlock the whole offense this Sunday.
Think about it. Having Higgins on the field means Buffalo will have to double-team him, Ja'Marr Chase, or both on any given snap. Stopping either or both of them are unenviable objectives to try to complete.
When the Bengals' offensive core trio of Burrow, Chase and Higgins are healthy, there's basically no stopping this group. The better tailback Chase Brown and the ground game can be, the more complementary Cincinnati's brand of football will be in a big, big spot.
Just look at how healthy the Bengals are as a whole to this later point in the 2025 campaign.
With Tee Higgins' likely return (concussion), the #Bengals should have all their offensive starters and 22/25 (O/D/Specialists) from the season opener available to them on Sunday.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) December 4, 2025
Only Logan Wilson (Dallas), Cam Taylor-Britt (foot) and Trey Hendrickson (hip/pelvis) are not.
Hurts to not have Trey Hendrickson out there to catalyze the pass rush. However, his absence has left a void that Joseph Ossai and Myles Murphy have actually done a commendable job of filling amid the defense's improved play.
The rest of the NFL had better hope a fully healthy Burrow, Chase, and Higgins don't somehow land on their playoff calendar. Pity those foes for the world of pain they'd likely be entering.