The Cincinnati Bengals suffered their first loss of the season Sunday in Pittsburgh. Afterward, Tee Higgins made sure everyone knew where he stood on his quarterback.
Higgins Backs Burrow After the Bengals’ Final Drive
Joe Burrow fumbled with 53 seconds left and Cincinnati in field-goal range. The Bengals faced first-and-10 at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 38-yard line. Burrow was pressured while trying to make a play. Derrick Harmon sacked him and knocked the ball loose. Sebastian Joseph-Day recovered it to seal the win.
Higgins was asked about the play afterward, per Mike Petraglia. He didn’t hesitate. “S—t. How many yards did Joe throw for? I think they did pretty damn good,” Higgins said. “Obviously like I said, man, it’s football. Sometimes players f—k up too. So, you know, it’s just ball.”
It was a blunt answer. It also showed how Higgins views his quarterback. He shrugged off the mistake and pointed to the bigger picture.
Burrow’s Big Game Before the Fumble
The fumble may bring back a familiar conversation about Burrow’s late-game resume. He has plenty to point to. In 2021, he had five game-winning drives. In 2022, he led several game-winning and game-sealing drives during a 10-game winning streak. That run carried Cincinnati to the AFC Championship Game.
Sunday’s game should be viewed in context. Burrow was excellent before the fumble. He completed 28 of 37 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns. He added two carries for 13 yards. Higgins’ question about the yardage had a point.
The Steelers’ defensive line finally got to Burrow on the last drive. He was trying to make a play rather than take a sack. That competitiveness is how he has made big plays in the past.
Special Teams Set the Stage for the Bengals
The Bengals also put themselves in that spot. They had two chances to get the ball back with a lead and potentially go up by two scores. Both times, special teams mistakes got in the way. One was a roughing-the-kicker penalty. The other was a muffed punt. Pittsburgh scored 10 points off those errors.
Those 10 points loom large in a game decided by such a small margin. Cincinnati should not have needed a late rescue in the first place.
What It Means Going Forward
When offense, defense and special teams are in sync, Burrow is at his best. On Sunday, they were not. One loss doesn’t change much this early in the season. Cleaning up special teams would go a long way. Higgins clearly has his quarterback’s back. Now the rest of the team has to give Burrow the support to match.
Bengals’ Tee Higgins Drops Blunt Quote on Joe Burrow After Costly Fumble