Cincinnati Bengals Two-Point Conversion: Offense Set To Tee Off

Tee Higgins has been setting the tone for the Bengals' offense.

After a rough start to the season, the Bengals find themselves at 2-2 with a chance to take over first place in the division this weekend against the Baltimore Ravens. After the way the first two games went, if I told you that would be the case heading into Week 5, many of you wouldn't believe me.

For the Bengals, it's been about shaking the rust off and getting into a rhythm. The offensive line is starting to find their way while Joe Burrow has been better at protecting the football over the last two weeks. 

Time To Tee Off...

It's been frustrating seeing Tee Higgins leave at some point during 75% of the games this season, but luckily there was only one time he didn't return. As much as everyone loves Ja'Marr Chase and for all the highlight reel moments he provided Bengals fans this season, the offense has been running through Higgins.

The 23-year-old is second on the team in receptions (20, five behind Chase) but leads the team in yards (315), yards per catch (15.8), tied for the lead in touchdowns (2), and is second in receiving first downs (15, five behind Chase).

The most impressive thing may be that Burrow has a 132.3 quarterback rating when targeting Higgins. He doesn't have a rating over 100 when targeting anyone else this season. Burrow also hasn't thrown an interception this season when targeting Higgins.

For all the attention and hype that Chase receives, Higgins has been the standout player with the best and most efficient production through the first four games. It's crucial to the success of the team that Higgins stay healthy and continue to stay on the field because the offense can't produce at a high enough level if he's on the sideline.

...Time To Get Serious

I'm going to level with all of you. I like to have fun, make some jokes, and entertain in posts like these as you'll see throughout the season. However, there are certain moments that cause for a serious reflection or reaction and I feel this is one of those times.

Last Thursday night as the Bengals and Dolphins battled it out, we witnessed a terrifying site when Tua Tagovailoa was stretchered off the field and taken to a local hospital. The way his hands locked up after hitting the ground gave me the heart sinking into my stomach feeling. Bengals fans in attendance had an incredible moment, chanting "Tua" as he left the field. Class move by them.

People want to blame the Dolphins' medical staff and coaches for him being on the field after his worrisome moment the week before against the Buffalo Bills, but it's far deeper than that.

Player safety has become a farce, a punchline among the majority. Yes, Tagovailoa should have been placed in concussion protocol after he collapsed against the Bills. No, he shouldn't have been in the game to begin with on Thursday. The biggest problem no one seems to want to talk about is having Thursday night football at all.

Professional football players go through a vicious regiment of physical brutality week after week. It takes days, sometimes weeks to recover from their ailments. Many players are barely back to normal by time game day rolls back around the following Sunday. Yet, these players have to trot back out on the field four days after they just finished getting the snot beat out of them.

How can anyone, in good conscience, preach the importance and vitality of player safety but force players to play on short rest for the sake of prime time spotlights and advertising dollars.

We have seen far too many players suffer the horrific nightmare of CTE years after their playing career is done. The NFL wants to talk about how important the safety of the players is, but have no hesitation setting them up for failure with these weekly Thursday night games. It's hypocritical and wrong.

Some of you may disagree and that's more than fine. I'm not here to convince you to think about this the way I do but I felt it was my moral obligation to use a platform I have to bring up what I—and I'm sure many—feel is a legitimate issue within the NFL. I appreciate all of you going on this journey with me and I hope you enjoy the games this weekend.

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