Tee Higgins suffers concussion, leaves game against Patriots as Bengals' WR depth dwindles

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins left Sunday's 26-20 loss against the New England Patriots with a concussion, the team announced. The injury ended his outing, leaving him with five catches for 31 yards in a relatively quiet performance and forcing the Bengals to complete the game without their top two receivers.

Late in the fourth quarter, Higgins hit the ground hard while attempting to make a catch on a deep ball from Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco. He remained on the ground while trainers attended to him, and team personnel eventually carted him into the locker room.

With star receiver Ja'Marr Chase suspended for last week's spitting incident, Higgins projected as the Bengals' top target for the matchup with the Patriots. He rode a hot streak into the contest with at least one touchdown catch in each of his last four games, but that run came to an end as he failed to deliver on high Week 12 expectations before the injury.

The Bengals could have used Higgins in the final minutes of Sunday's loss. Trailing by six on their final possession, they unleashed an aerial attack in search of what could have been a game-winning touchdown. The drive ended well short of the end zone with a turnover on downs.

Higgins must clear the NFL's concussion protocol before he returns to action. The Bengals have a quick turnaround for their next game, which falls on Thanksgiving and pits them against the Baltimore Ravens in prime time. It would take an unusually speedy recovery for Higgins to be cleared in time for the divisional rivalry clash, and if he misses the contest, he would not return to the lineup until Dec. 7 at the earliest. That is when the Bengals travel for another marquee matchup against the Buffalo Bills.