As Cincinnati aims to stay afloat amid a muddled AFC playoff race, quarterback Jake Browning will have the full extent of Bengals wide receivers at his disposal in Week 13.
Tee Higgins (hamstring/ankle) will play in Monday night's road game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, head coach Zac Taylor announced Saturday. Higgins did not receive a designation on the team's injury report.
Higgins missed the past three games due to a hamstring injury he sustained in practice ahead of Week 10. Of course, plenty has changed for the Bengals since then, with Joe Burrow being lost for the season after suffering a torn ligament in his right wrist on Nov. 16.
In his first career NFL start last week, Browning completed 73% of his passes (19 of 26) for 227 yards but the Bengals only managed to put up 10 points in a low-scoring affair against Pittsburgh. The 27-year-old accounted for one touchdown and an interception in the 16-10 defeat.
The presence of Higgins may help Browning's cause. The 6-foot-4 wideout is a matchup nightmare for most opposing cornerbacks, especially those covering him in the slot. In seven games played this season, Higgins has 27 receptions for 327 yards and two touchdowns.
Alongside Ja'Marr Chase and veteran Tyler Boyd, Higgins has been the missing piece of a WR trio that Burrow has used to become one of the most efficient passers in the NFL. Now it's time to see how Browning utilizes those weapons against Jacksonville.
Cincinnati's defense will also have one of its leaders take the field on Monday night as Taylor announced linebacker Logan Wilson (ankle/foot) will also play. However, cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt won't suit up after spraining his ankle in practice this week.
Losers of three straight, the Bengals (5-6) can't afford to stack losses down the home stretch of the 2023 season. Meanwhile, the Jaguars (8-3) look to widen their division lead and showcase themselves in a rare prime-time home game on Monday Night Football.
