Has Tee Higgins "checked out"?

[NUGDUKWE]

I wonder if Tee let's a bad start to a game really affect him and has a hard time getting out of it. I was thinking about it last night watching the game. I think he had a couple games like it last year but a lot of the targets he was dropping in those games were boundary deeper shots so I didn't really notice it as a trend.

[Speedy Thomas]

Short answer: NO

[kalibengal]

(09-26-2023, 09:05 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: 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.

I think last night shows why Chase is so valuable...we were able to create opportunites for him and he came through like we are used to. 
Tee is a bit one dimensional...still love him but not as versatile or fast as Chase. IMO we keep Chase and on fence with Tee. 

[Joelist]

Tee just had a bad game. I don't expect him to repeat it.

[*pally*]

It is in Tee's own best interest to have a good season. If he wants to be paid like a #1WR he has to play like one. So no he hasn't checked out. He had an uncharacteristic bad game

[*Synric*]

(09-26-2023, 10:18 AM)QueenCity Wrote: 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%

Tee was on the wrong page with Joe the entire week 1 you can blame Joe but after seening it again game 3 well you have to think these guys aren't on the same page.

[SunsetBengal]

Many of us seem to be quick to brush it off as just "a bad game", fellas it's more than just this game. Coming into this season, Higgins had a catch percentage of nearly 63%, and about a 50/50 win percentage on the contested catches. This season, he's caught 10 of 28 targets, with several of them being drops of routine catches, many of which he had his hands on. That's a lack of focus.

I realize that many feel the need to defend one of their favorite players and are quick to make excuses, excuses like "The weather was bad", "Burrow isn't his full self, either", and the best one "The defender was in his head". WTF does that even mean? Elite skill players are known to have the shortest memories when it comes to getting past a bad play, as they are eager to get back after it and show why they are considered elite players. I'm sure that there has likely been someone in Tee's head, most likely a sports agent. Sure, there are some specific plays that can be explained away, but 10 of 28 is not acceptable from a guy that many want the team to invest over a $100M in with a rich contract extension.

[THE PISTONS]

(09-26-2023, 10:42 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Many of us seem to be quick to brush it off as just "a bad game", fellas it's more than just this game.  Coming into this season, Higgins had a catch percentage of nearly 63%, and about a 50/50 win percentage on the contested catches.  This season, he's caught 10 of 28 targets, with several of them being drops of routine catches, many of which he had his hands on. That's a lack of focus.

I realize that many feel the need to defend one of their favorite players and are quick to make excuses, excuses like "The weather was bad", "Burrow isn't his full self, either", and the best one "The defender was in his head".  WTF does that even mean?  Elite skill players are known to have the shortest memories when it comes to getting past a bad play, as they are eager to get back after it and show why they are considered elite players.  I'm sure that there has likely been someone in Tee's head, most likely a sports agent.  Sure, there are some specific plays that can be explained away, but 10 of 28 is not acceptable from a guy that many want the team to invest over a $100M in with a rich contract extension.

I mean about 3 hit him right in the hands and chest last night...and he dropped them. That's usually concentration...and I'm sure Tee would tell you that he should have had it.

The team appears to be flat at times...and has the feel of something going on behind the scenes more than Burrow with an injury. I don't know though. It just doesn't appear right.

[QueenCity]

It's a long season boys - no ones opinion isn't valid.

I just think there's enough sh** going on right now that give Tee an out for his performances.

That said if this keeps up either you get Tee for a cheaper contract than you expected or his trade values drops

[Luvnit2]

(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.

Tee had a very bad game. The issue for Tee is not playing well on national T.V. hurts your value, not only with Bengals but if Bengal's decide to let him walk.

I think he had a bad game. I think he will make up for it soon, hopefully against the Titans.

One thing in my mind is evident, he is not a top 15 WR and should be offered a contract for a middlle tier WR!.

[*ochocincos*]

Higgins just put up 89 yards the week prior.
Sometimes it happens when a player doesn't do well.

If we're seeing continued poor performance in about a month from now, I'll be more concerned.

[*pally*]

(09-26-2023, 10:42 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Many of us seem to be quick to brush it off as just "a bad game", fellas it's more than just this game.  Coming into this season, Higgins had a catch percentage of nearly 63%, and about a 50/50 win percentage on the contested catches.  This season, he's caught 10 of 28 targets, with several of them being drops of routine catches, many of which he had his hands on. That's a lack of focus.

I realize that many feel the need to defend one of their favorite players and are quick to make excuses, excuses like "The weather was bad", "Burrow isn't his full self, either", and the best one "The defender was in his head".  WTF does that even mean?  Elite skill players are known to have the shortest memories when it comes to getting past a bad play, as they are eager to get back after it and show why they are considered elite players.  I'm sure that there has likely been someone in Tee's head, most likely a sports agent.  Sure, there are some specific plays that can be explained away, but 10 of 28 is not acceptable from a guy that many want the team to invest over a $100M in with a rich contract extension.

Ja'Marr was bad until last night and we didn't say he had checked out.  The entire offense has been out of synch, it is not just Tee

[Luvnit2]

(09-26-2023, 10:44 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I mean about 3 hit him right in the hands and chest last night...and he dropped them. That's usually concentration...and I'm sure Tee would tell you that he should have had it.

The team appears to be flat at times...and has the feel of something going on behind the scenes more than Burrow with an injury. I don't know though. It just doesn't appear right.

I see the offense making mistake after mistake killing drives. AS for the defense, they played like champions last night. Chase, Money Mac and our defense won that game and played with a lot of emotion. Joe Mixon also played great again.

I think the lack of practice time Burrow has had with another new OL has hurt us. I think Joe's ability to scramble allows defenses to not put a spy on him which adds another player in coverage.

Good news with won the game, bad news is our offense is out of sorts. They lack consistency so far in 2023.

[SunsetBengal]

(09-26-2023, 10:58 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Higgins just put up 89 yards the week prior.
Sometimes it happens when a player doesn't do well.

If we're seeing continued poor performance in about a month from now, I'll be more concerned.

He caught 8 of 12 targets in that game, which is right at his career average prior to this season.  So he's had one game where he played like he's become expected to perform, and two absolute duds.

[SunsetBengal]

(09-26-2023, 10:59 AM)pally Wrote: Ja'Marr was bad until last night and we didn't say he had checked out.  The entire offense has been out of synch, it is not just Tee

How has Chase been bad?  He's caught 22 of 32 targets on the season, which is actually higher than his career average.

[TecmoBengals]

(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

Agreed, he had a good week 2 performance with the 2 TDs.

[LSUfaninTN]

(09-26-2023, 09:18 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: 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.

I feel like they don’t trust Burrow’s accuracy much right now. Not a coach just a fan, but it took me a while to figure out last year for LSU, drops were a huge problem even when they were right on the money, and I think it’s because the players got so used to Jayden Daniels to underthrowing in stride and noodle-arming down field that they didn’t know how to react when he threw it well because they were so used to adjusting to catch his sh*tty passes.

Anyway he might win the Heisman this year… lol

[depthchart]

(09-26-2023, 10:56 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Tee had a very bad game. The issue for Tee is not playing well on national T.V. hurts your value, not only with Bengals but if Bengal's decide to let him walk.

I think he had a bad game. I think he will make up for it soon, hopefully against the Titans.

One thing in my mind is evident, he is not a top 15 WR and should be offered a contract for a middlle tier WR!.

Tee Higgins may be in a similar situation as Cee Dee Lamb was before Lamb became a #1 receiver for Dallas.

Cee Dee Lamb (with Amari Cooper as the #1 receiver) had 79 catches  1,102 yards and 9 TDs in 2021

Tee Higgins the last 2 seasons:   2021  74 catches 1,091 yards and 6 TDs
                                     
                                               2022  74 catches 1,029 yards and 7 TDs

I think that Tee is worth #1 money to a Team that makes him a #1

Likely won't be worth #1 money to a Team that keeps him as a #2

Cee Dee Lamb after Amari Cooper left and as a #1 receiver  107 catches 1,359 yards 9 TDs in 2022


        

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(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

He had zero catches week one. 

[Destro]

Had a horrible game. All of our stars have done the same. Hopefully that’s out of the way now.