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Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow Wow NFL Fans with 9 Total TDs in Ravens' OT Win vs. Bengals
Oct 6, 2024
CINCINNATI, OHIO - OCTOBER 06: Tyler Linderbaum #64 and Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens embrace before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on October 06, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Anything you can do, I can do better.
Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson were electric on Sunday, going score for score in one of the NFL games of the season thus far, ultimately a 41-38 overtime win for Baltimore.
Burrow threw for 392 yards and a career-high five touchdowns, finishing 30-of-39 with three sacks taken and one interception. He found Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins for two touchdowns apiece.
But Jackson matched him every step of the way, finishing 26-of-42 for 348 yards, four touchdowns, one sack taken and no interceptions. He also rushed 12 times for 56 yards but did lose a fumble in overtime.
Granted, there were massive implications in this game beyond just the individual matchup. The Bengals came in already fighting for their lives this season, hoping to avoid a 1-4 start. The Ravens didn't want to go back under .500 themselves, hoping to not fall further behind the 3-1 Pittsburgh Steelers atop the AFC North.
And for as magical as both players were, both had costly turnovers. A Burrow interception late in the fourth quarter ultimately led to Baltimore's game-tying field goal. Jackson's fumble in overtime gave the Bengals a short field and a chance to win the game on a field goal, though the attempt was missed.
The Ravens quickly capitalized, as Derrick Henry galloped down the field on the ensuing drive to set up Justin Tucker's game-winning field goal.
Neither mistake erased the brilliance from both players, however. When the dust settled, Cincinnati's season was left on the brink, Baltimore is still nipping at Pittsburgh's heels and both teams are left with enormous issues on the defensive side of the ball to address.
For neutral fans, however, Burrow vs. Jackson was as good as it gets.
Bengals' Tee Higgins Expects to Make Season Debut vs. Commanders amid Injury Rehab
Sep 20, 2024
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 23: Tee Higgins #5 of the Cincinnati Bengals in action during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on December 23, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is preparing to make his season debut during the team's Week 3 matchup with the Washington Commanders.
Higgins told reporters on Friday that he "feels great" heading into the game, via NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe.
"Finally ready to get my feet wet this season and ready to go," he said.
Bengals WR Tee Higgins tells reporters he “feels great” and plans to play Monday vs. Commanders after missing 1st two games with a hamstring injury.
Higgins has missed Cincinnati's first two games of the year after he suffered a hamstring injury in practice on Sept. 5.
It's worth noting that Bengals head coach Zac Taylor hasn't officially confirmed that Higgins will be active against Washington, but it's still a promising sign that the 25-year-old is confident in his ability to return.
He was listed as a limited participant in practice on Thursday and Friday in the Bengals' latest injury report.
Higgins was considered doubtful ahead of Cincinnati's Week 2 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and he ultimately didn't suit up. He'll have an extra day to prepare for the Commanders, as they're set to clash with the Bengals on Monday Night Football.
The reintroduction of Higgins into Cincinnati's offense should provide a boost to a team that has started the 2024 season with a disappointing 0-2 record. The Bengals have averaged just 272 yards per game through two weeks, ranking No. 24 among all NFL teams.
Although Higgins was limited to just 12 appearances in 2023 due to hamstring issues, he was able to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in each of the prior two seasons.
His potential debut should also make life easier for three-time Pro Bowl wideout Ja'Marr Chase. Chase has been given extra attention from defenses to start the year, which has hampered his overall production. The 24-year-old has recorded just 10 catches for 97 yards in two games.
As the Bengals attempt to secure their first win of the season, their offense is preparing to add another weapon with Higgins expecting to be back on the field.
The New York Jets and New England Patriots kicked off Week 3 on Thursday night, leaving fantasy managers with 15 games to navigate over the next four days.…
Tee Higgins to Return to Bengals Practice Amid Injury Rehab Ahead of Commanders Game
Sep 19, 2024
CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 08: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) and wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) look at the scoreboard toward the end of the game against the New England Patriots and the Cincinnati Bengals on September 8, 2024, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins will return to practice Thursday as he recovers from a hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined for the first two games of the NFL season.
Head coach Zac Taylor told reporters that the plan is to "get him into practice today and see where he goes from there... we need him."
Injuries limited Higgins to just 12 games last season, leading to career lows in catches (42), receiving yards (656) and touchdowns (five).
His offseason, meanwhile, was centered around a long-term extension stand-off with the Bengals that included a trade request and eventually ended with Higgins relenting and signing his franchise tender. With a lucrative extension for Ja'Marr Chase looming, the Bengals chose against locking up Higgins for the long term, meaning the veteran wideout is likely in his final season in Cincinnati.
Higgins said in July that he preferred to sign the tag and get ready for the season rather than allow the contract dispute linger into the season.
"This could be the last ride for me and the guys. You never know," he told Geoff Hobson of the team's website. "Instead of holding out and waiting and just watching from afar, I'd rather be in the mix with the guys and grind it out with them. That's how I've always been.
He also pushed back against wild internet speculation last week that he was faking his hamstring injury as some sort of contract ploy.
"I just don't understand why fans think I'm faking an injury, when for me to get an extension for a contract, the deadline is over," he told ESPN's Ben Baby. "I just don't understand why they think I'm faking an injury. It doesn't make sense to me."
The Bengals could use him back. The team has surprisingly opened the season with an 0-2 record, though upcoming games against the Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers should get them back on track.
The standoff between pass-rusher Haason Reddick and the New York Jets doesn't appear to be nearing its conclusion. The Jets traded a conditional 2026…
Bengals' Tee Higgins: I Don't Get Why Fans Would Think I'm Faking Hamstring Injury
Sep 12, 2024
CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 08: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) before the game against the New England Patriots and the Cincinnati Bengals on September 8, 2024, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Tee Higgins is adamant he is not faking his hamstring injury because of his contract situation and doesn't understand why some fans would suggest that is the case.
"I just don't understand why fans think I'm faking an injury, when for me to get an extension for a contract, the deadline is over," Higgins told ESPN's Ben Baby on Thursday. "I just don't understand why they think I'm faking an injury. It doesn't make sense to me."
Baby noted the deadline for teams to agree to long-term deals with players who are on the franchise tag was July 15. Since it passed, Cincinnati and Higgins cannot negotiate until the end of the season after he was tagged this past offseason.
The Clemson product was sidelined for the season-opening loss to the New England Patriots because of the hamstring ailment and has not practiced since Sept. 5. While it remains to be seen whether he will be available for the Week 2 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, his practice status is not encouraging along those lines.
"I want to go out there and give my teammates a 100% of Tee Higgins, you know what I'm saying?" Higgins said. "I don't want to give them 50% and half-ass it just to be a presence on the field."
He also explained the overall timeline of the injury that has kept him out.
"I prepare myself to go out here and dominate, start of Week 1," Higgins said. "Unfortunately, four days before the game, I have a hamstring tweak that I didn't think was as bad, so I made the comments I did after [practice].
"I didn't think it was bad until obviously I got it checked on the next day. It was worse than what I thought."
As Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network noted, hamstring injuries are nothing new for the receiver:
Weeks Tee Higgins has spent on the injury report with a hamstring issue: 2020 - 2 (plus missed time in camp) 2021 - 0 2022 - 3 2023 - 5 2024 - 1
Listed as doubtful for Sunday, if he doesn't play it will be the 7th game he's missed or left early due to a hamstring.…
Given that history, it is difficult to think Higgins is faking the latest setback. This is a recurring issue he has dealt with throughout his career, and his frustration with the situation was fairly clear in his Thursday comments.
What's more, it would greatly benefit him to play as many games as possible this season and put up impressive numbers.
After all, he will be looking for a new contract next offseason from either the Bengals or another team. Teams will likely be less inclined to give him a head-turning offer if he is coming off an injury-plagued 2024 season, especially if he is unable to put up solid numbers because of the physical concerns.
The best thing he can do for his future earnings potential is play and produce at a high level, and he cannot do that while he is sidelined with an injury.
Bills' Damar Hamlin: 'I Don't Want to Be Just Known as the Player Who Lived'
Sep 12, 2024
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 08: Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills reacts prior to a game against the Arizona Cardinals at Highmark Stadium on September 08, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
Damar Hamlin earned a starting safety position on the Buffalo Bills this season and said he hopes he can create a playing legacy that will eventually serve as the central narrative from his playing career.
"I don't want to be just known as the player who lived," he told Cameron Wolfe of NFL.com on Thursday. "My story is my story. It's still being written. But I want to be known for my abilities as well. I've always had big goals on and off the field. I have so much more that I want to accomplish."
During a Week 17 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022, Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after tackling wide receiver Tee Higgins. He briefly didn't have a pulse before he was defibrillated and resuscitated.
"I died on national TV in front of the whole world," he said simply of the incident.
What followed was a lengthy rehabilitation process before he was cleared to resume football activities in April 2023. Last season, he made Buffalo's roster as a special teams contributor, appearing in five games. This year, after an impressive training camp, he won a starting position at safety alongside Taylor Rapp.
"What else can't this young man do? What an accomplishment," head coach Sean McDermott said of Hamlin after he was named a starter. "We're just extremely proud and full of gratitude to watch him go through what he's gone through and where he is now."
Hamlin said that returning to the football field has at times been a triggering experience, however.
"People move on with their life and they think about it when they see me," he told Wolfe. "I can't move on. It's a part of me. I do still have flashbacks sometimes. And within my day-to-day, I definitely think about it. I've learned to appreciate those moments in my life. But when I play a game now, those three hours, I'm only thinking about football."
"He had every reason to walk away from the game," Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane added. "Nobody would have questioned his toughness. I'm not sure what his odds were to make the team last year, but he absolutely wasn't gifted a roster spot."
But Hamlin persisted, and now he'll play a crucial role for the Bills this season. His hope is that his play on the field defines him in the minds of NFL fans.
"I was raised to be like this," he told Wolfe. "This is what I do best. I'm a football player at heart. It's in me to want to compete. Football keeps me closest to God."
