Has Tee Higgins "checked out"?

[SunsetBengal]

Could his uncharacteristically poor performance be at least partially due to not getting a hefty contract extension prior to the start of the season? Through 3 games I've seen a lot of plays where Tee typically makes the catch resulting in the ball hitting the ground. Contested catches that we're used to seeing him win the battle for, short to mid range throws that hit him right on the hands or numbers that he simply does not make the catch, to even appearing to take a dive to the turf when he does make a catch and turn up field and seeing defenders waiting.

Unless there is an undisclosed injury issue going on, it's beginning to look like (to me anyway) that he's giving a "phone it in" level of effort this season.

[Sled21]

(09-26-2023, 08:57 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Could his uncharacteristically poor performance be at least partially due to not getting a hefty contract extension prior to the start of the season?  Through 3 games I've seen a lot of plays where Tee typically makes the catch resulting in the ball hitting the ground.  Contested catches that we're used to seeing him win the battle for, short to mid range throws that hit him right on the hands or numbers that he simply does not make the catch, to even appearing to take a dive to the turf when he does make a catch and turn up field and seeing defenders waiting.

Unless there is an undisclosed injury issue going on, it's beginning to look like (to me anyway) that he's giving a "phone it in" level of effort this season.

It's probably because everywhere he looks, people are seemingly trying to get rid of him. Has to make you feel kind of unwanted. But, with every drop he gets cheaper.

[Brownshoe]

Tee was our best receiver in the first two games. Sometimes bad games happen. I'm not worried about it

[THE PISTONS]

(09-26-2023, 09:01 AM)Sled21 Wrote: It's probably because everywhere he looks, people are seemingly trying to get rid of him. Has to make you feel kind of unwanted. But, with every drop he gets cheaper.

I don't think anyone wants to 'get rid of him'. I think people question if we can pay 2 WR's $25+ million with a QB that is the top paid QB in the league.

Keeping Tee will likely cost us 3-4 good players somewhere else.

[Tomkat]

(09-26-2023, 08:57 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: ... even appearing to take a dive to the turf when he does make a catch and turn up field and seeing defenders waiting.

That is not unique to this season, for Tee.   It's merely self-preservation on his part.  He's not a RB, so I'd rather him NOT lower his head and take on multiple defenders.

[THE PISTONS]

(09-26-2023, 09:06 AM)Tomkat Wrote: That is not unique to this season, for Tee.   It's merely self-preservation on his part.  He's not a RB, so I'd rather him NOT lower his head and take on multiple defenders.

Oh yeah. A lot of WR's do that.

[740Bengal]

His agent is a cancer.

[TKUHL]

The defender was in his head the whole game. He can’t let that happen.

[HarleyDog]

(09-26-2023, 09:01 AM)Sled21 Wrote: with every drop he gets cheaper.

Interesting point. 

As for checking out, I sure hope not. He made a few good catches last week. Last night was maybe just a bad game. Plus, I think the timing may be off, which should come together next week.

[grampahol]

Could be anything going on..Argument with mama or even agent. Big contract talks ongoing or just one of those days..Everyone has the occasional shitty day, but the team won so I'm not going to lose sleep over it.  He's not getting cheaper unless he gets seriously injured or gets caught up in some bazaar scandal.  Who knows?  Could be his car decided to turn into a lemon.. 

[RunKijanaRun]

I would think the opposite to be true. Players need to have their best seasons in contract years. He was terrible last night, without question, but I can't chalk it up to pouting or a lack of motivation. That's not the type of player he is.

And I'm still confident we're going to keep him.

[WeezyBengal]

I think it was just a bad game and he was in his head last night. Tee had a great game in week 2. He will bounce back.

[J24]

He just had a bad game.

[Southpaw Frerotte]

Talk about being a prisoner of the moment.

[casear2727]

(09-26-2023, 09:44 AM)RunKijanaRun Wrote: I would think the opposite to be true. Players need to have their best seasons in contract years. He was terrible last night, without question, but I can't chalk it up to pouting or a lack of motivation. That's not the type of player he is.

And I'm still confident we're going to keep him.

This makes sense, he is likely pressing harder than checking out.  Either way that was his worst game.

[TheFan]

(09-26-2023, 09:03 AM)Brownshoe Wrote: Tee was our best receiver in the first two games. Sometimes bad games happen. I'm not worried about it

Tee had 0 receptions and 0 yards in game 1 but he did put up the best numbers in game 2. Overall he has 10 catches on 28 attempts for a little over 100 yards. He has been bad but our offense in general has been bad. 

Just last week some people were talking about how he's better than Chase and now people are talking about him being checked out. 

The over reactions to 1 game is getting wild. 

[Housh]

He looked it to me. Like why run as hard as be as focused when a chase is getting all the catches?

But he ended up with a good # of targets so he really doesn’t have that excuse dude just dropped easy passes

[Daddy-O]

(09-26-2023, 08:57 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Could his uncharacteristically poor performance be at least partially due to not getting a hefty contract extension prior to the start of the season?  Through 3 games I've seen a lot of plays where Tee typically makes the catch resulting in the ball hitting the ground.  Contested catches that we're used to seeing him win the battle for, short to mid range throws that hit him right on the hands or numbers that he simply does not make the catch, to even appearing to take a dive to the turf when he does make a catch and turn up field and seeing defenders waiting.

Unless there is an undisclosed injury issue going on, it's beginning to look like (to me anyway) that he's giving a "phone it in" level of effort this season.

C'mon man.  Guy has a bad game and all of a sudden he's checked out.  The offense is trash right now.  There is no flow, no creativity, predictable.  I'm sure he is in a lull just like the whole offense.  Plus, you don't get a big contract checking out, you put up big stats.

[depthchart]

(09-26-2023, 10:02 AM)Housh Wrote: He looked it to me. Like why run as hard as be as focused when a chase is getting all the catches?

But he ended up with a good # of targets so he really doesn’t have that excuse dude just dropped easy passes

.

Things may have just built up on him in his mind.

Knowing that the game plan (at least early on) called for shorter routes and passes instead of him being able to run

deeper routes may have felt a little boring or restrained to him.

Then passes going to others like Boyd and Chase for a while.

Then finally getting some throws his way and not being totally mentally ready for them.

Then a drop that adds to a less than ready to play in a normal unrestrained way mindset.

[QueenCity]

First game - he may of only had 1 catchable ball

2nd game - he dominated

3rd game - obviously struggled and the drops hurt.

Hard for me to judge when our QB is playing at 50%