Bengals receive promising news from coach Zac Taylor following injury-filled loss to Jaguars
Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins each suffered injuries during the Cincinnati Bengals’ loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Coach Zac Taylor delivered good news regarding both injuries.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins each enter Week 5 of the NFL season battling injuries. Chase suffered a concussion, and Higgins an adductor during Cincinnati’s Week 4 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Both may be able to play in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins.
Coach Zac Taylor confirmed to reporters Monday afternoon Chase is in the concussion protocol, and both he and Higgins are day-to-day. He went as far to say it’s encouraging that Higgins is just day-to-day.
Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins injury updates
Chase exited Sunday’s game against the Jags early in the second quarter. He was able to leave the field under his own power, and was evaluated in the blue tent on the sideline. He then went inside the Bengals locker room for further evaluation. Cincinnati soon declared him out for the rest of the game.
Higgins’ injury occurred much later in the game. He was seen grabbing his groin following his 11th and final reception of the afternoon in the fourth quarter. He tried playing through it, but was soon taken out of the game.
The concussion protocol will require Chase to pass through five phases this week in order to play against the Dolphins. He will need to get through a full practice “without recurrent concussion signs or symptoms,” as per the official protocol.
It’s entirely possible for Chase to get through the entire protocol by the end of the week. If he doesn’t, then he’ll have an extra two weeks to fully pass before the Bengals, take the field again following their Week 6 bye.
The same goes for Higgins, who has a history of soft soft tissue injuries. Based on Taylor’s announcement, it sounds like there was a greater fear for the 27-year-old to miss this week in comparison to Chase.
Expect both players to be limited or to not practice at all on Wednesday. The key will be where they are on Friday before flying to South Florida.
