The Cincinnati Bengals dropped another one on Sunday, falling 39-34 to the Buffalo Bills. But the score wasn’t the only storyline. Tee Higgins went down in the second half and was evaluated for a concussion before eventually returning, though he kept rotating in and out afterward.

Now that the dust has settled, Joe Burrow has weighed in, offering an update on Higgins and praising the receiver’s toughness, both throughout his career and in the way he battled through this game.

“Tee’s a tough guy,” Burrow said after the game. “I think he’s gotten tougher over the years. Back in the day, he would get hit, and I’d hold my breath because he would lay there for a second, and then he’d pop back up. I think everybody remembers that. Now his pop-up game is pretty good. So that’s good to see. Doesn’t scare me quite as much. But he’s as tough as they come, and he’s going to continue to make big-time plays in big-time spots. That’s who he is.”

The receiver went down after taking a pretty nasty shot to the head while hauling in a pass from Burrow. As he sat up, he pointed to his head, something Fox play-by-play announcer Joe Davis immediately flagged with, “Higgins slow to get up here.” He headed straight to the blue tent for a checkup. But the WR surprisingly made it back to the sideline with his helmet on with just 1:10 left in the first half.

At halftime, Higgins stayed in the locker room to regroup, which honestly felt like the safer call. But by the time the third quarter rolled around, there he was again, running routes for Burrow like nothing had happened. Then, late in the fourth quarter on a crucial 3rd-and-6, Burrow went right back to him. Higgins answered with a ridiculous one-handed grab.

However, Higgins reportedly hit his head again in the same quarter and had to be checked once more. Despite the scares, Higgins finished with 6 catches for 92 yards on 11 targets. For now, though, Cincinnati hasn’t shared anything official about his status, and his availability for next week’s home game against the Baltimore Ravens is still up in the air.

As for Joe Burrow…well, he’s already laid out how he’s approaching the rest of the season.

Joe Burrow is currently focusing on wins and not the playoffs

Sunday’s loss to the Bills didn’t just sting; it pretty much punched a hole in the Bengals’ playoff hopes. And that’s exactly why Joe Burrow isn’t bothering with any big-picture talk right now. He’s not thinking about scenarios, standings, or what-ifs. At this point, the quarterback is locked in on one thing only: winning the next game.

“We’re just gonna go out and try and execute, and play well, and win games. We’ll look at the big picture stuff when it’s all said and done this year,” Burrow said.

The Bengals have slipped to 4-9, and with that, their playoff hopes have taken a heavy hit. With only four games left, the best they can finish is 8-9, a record that leaves them miles behind in a stacked AFC North, trailing both the Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers. And that really leaves them with one harsh reality: it’s not just about going 4-0 from here.

Top Stories

NFL Makes Punishment Decision on Josh Allen Incident

NFL Makes Punishment Decision Against Cowboys on Chiefs’ Incident in Thanksgiving Game

Clark Hunt Gets Major News on Arrowhead Stadium After Chiefs Considered $800M Move

Michael Irvin Doesn’t Hesitate to Call Out George Pickens as Cowboys WR Responds to Richard Sherman’s Criticism

Chiefs Owner’s Wife Sends Public Message to President Donald Trump Amid Calls to Rename NFL

They’d also need Baltimore and Pittsburgh to completely fall apart, finishing somewhere around 7-10 or 8-9, and the tiebreakers would still have to fall Cincinnati’s way. In simple terms, the Bengals don’t control much anymore. So Joe Burrow is focusing on the only thing he actually can control: winning the games in front of him. And that mission starts next week against the Ravens.