CINCINNATI — With Ja'Marr Chase drawing plenty of attention from opposing defenses every week, Tee Higgins and Mike Gesicki continue to give Joe Burrow additional weapons who can hurt teams in different ways. The two have been among Cincinnati's most productive offensive players this season, and their contributions were on full display again in Sunday's 35-13 victory over Baltimore.
Higgins leads the Bengals with 571 receiving yards on 33 catches, averaging an impressive 17.3 yards per reception. Gesicki, meanwhile, has caught five touchdown passes, tying Chase for the team lead and sharing the NFL lead among tight ends. His five scores have come on just 13 receptions, reflecting how effective he has been when Cincinnati gets into the red zone.
Against the Ravens, Higgins caught six passes for 148 yards and a touchdown, helping fuel Cincinnati's 35-point second-half comeback. His 13-yard touchdown reception late in the third quarter gave the Bengals their first lead of the afternoon, and the performance pushed him past 6,000 receiving yards for his career.
It was the 17th 100-yard receiving game of Higgins' career, and his 148 yards were his second-highest total of the season. He also had 157 yards against Jacksonville earlier this year, giving him two games with at least 140 receiving yards through Cincinnati's first six contests.
At 6-foot-4, Higgins has the size to win contested catches, but his production goes well beyond simply outjumping defenders. His route running, body control, and ability to make big catches along the sideline are among the NFL's best. His 17.3-yard average also shows how frequently he is producing big plays rather than relying on a high volume of short receptions.
Gesicki's production has come in a different way. The veteran tight end caught a six-yard touchdown pass to open the second half against Baltimore, extending his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown reception to four. It is the longest such streak of his nine-year NFL career.
Although Gesicki has only 165 receiving yards this season, his five touchdowns already exceed his combined total from his first two years in Cincinnati. His ability to find openings near the goal line has made him very dangerous, especially when defenses must account for both Chase and Higgins on the outside.
The different ways Higgins and Gesicki contribute illustrate the options available to Burrow. Higgins can stretch the field and win difficult catches, while Gesicki provides another receiving target near the goal line and/or down the seam. Chase remains a central part of the passing attack considering he's the best receiver in the NFL, having caught 32 passes for 351 yards and five touchdowns this season.
The combination has helped Burrow throw for 1,653 yards and 15 touchdowns through six games, with a passer rating of 110.4. Cincinnati's offense has plenty of established talent, but the production of Higgins and Gesicki is a reminder that defenses will never be able to afford to concentrate on Chase alone.
The Bengals return home Sunday to face Tennessee, looking to improve to 5-2. With Higgins producing some of the biggest gains of his career and Gesicki finding the end zone consistently, Burrow has plenty of options as Cincinnati enters November.
