Has Tee Higgins "checked out"?

[WeezyBengal]

I'd say Boyd is checked out. Dude gave zero effort on the Burrow INT.

[THE PISTONS]

(09-26-2023, 11:36 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I'd say Boyd is checked out. Dude gave zero effort on the Burrow INT.

Burrow should have never tried to throw that ball there. The defender was all over him.

[BurrowTheGoat]

No one is checked out he just had a bad game lol. We have become so spoiled we assume bad games are because of some weird external reason. It's a sport and sometimes you just don't have it that night.

[THE PISTONS]

(09-26-2023, 11:23 AM)depthchart Wrote: 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


        

I think it will be like Marvin Jones. He thinks he can be a #1, but if he goes to a bad team without an elite QB...he's not going to be a dominant WR.

Tee is a VERY good player. It's just a little easier when you have another star receiver that defenses focus on.

[depthchart]

(09-26-2023, 11:45 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I think it will be like Marvin Jones. He thinks he can be a #1, but if he goes to a bad team without an elite QB...he's not going to be a dominant WR.

Tee is a VERY good player. It's just a little easier when you have another star receiver that defenses focus on.

Tee may end up having success somewhere in between Marvin Jones and Cee Dee Lamb should he be given the chance to be a #1.

I have no doubt that some NFL Team would pursue Tee to be there #1.

He likely has to find the right QB and Team fit to do as well as Cee Dee Lamb has as a #1.

I'd say that Tee is closer to Lamb's caliber than to Marvin Jones but it still remains to be seen how he would do as a #1 season after season.

[SunsetBengal]

(09-26-2023, 12:07 PM)depthchart Wrote: Tee may end up having success somewhere in between Marvin Jones and Cee Dee Lamb should he be given the chance to be a #1.

I have no doubt that some NFL Team would pursue Tee to be there #1.

He likely has to find the right QB and Team fit to do as well as Cee Dee Lamb has as a #1.

I'd say that Tee is closer to Lamb's caliber than to Marvin Jones but it still remains to be seen how he would do as a #1 season after season.

Tee was the #1 WR here his rookie year.  He caught over 60% of balls he was targeted with, which is why I call his effort and focus into question this season.

[BengalYankee]

(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.

Yes. 

[Mike M (the other one)]

(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

Pretty much the way i see it. 
We have 3 good Wr's and it's hard for all 3 to be well fed and that doesn't include Mixon running out for passes as well.
Can't expect them all to have a perfect game every time. You go with the hot hands.

[*ochocincos*]

(09-26-2023, 11:12 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: 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.

And Chase had two absolute duds as well.
Why is Higgins considered checked out but Chase isn't?
Could it actually be more the struggles of Burrow and the offensive playcalling rather than Higgins or Chase?

Unrelated - Tanner Hudson is the best looking pass catcher at TE this team has. He needs to see more time. Yes, even over Irv Smith. It's not like Smith is getting a hefty contract to justify keeping out there.

[Bengalholic]

Tee hasn't checked out...because that's not the kind of person or player he is. He's struggled and has been very inconsistent so far, but he'll rebound and give us some big performances. I don't have any doubt about that.

[SunsetBengal]

(09-26-2023, 12:51 PM)ochocincos Wrote: And Chase had two absolute duds as well.
Why is Higgins considered checked out but Chase isn't?
Could it actually be more the struggles of Burrow and the offensive playcalling rather than Higgins or Chase?

Unrelated - Tanner Hudson is the best looking pass catcher at TE this team has. He needs to see more time. Yes, even over Irv Smith. It's not like Smith is getting a hefty contract to justify keeping out there.

Actually, Chase has caught 22 of 33 targets, which is about 10 percentage points above his career catch percentage.  Sure, the big gainers haven't been there, but he's still been catching the catchable balls thrown his way.

[Destro]

(09-26-2023, 11:42 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Burrow should have never tried to throw that ball there. The defender was all over him.

Correct. The defender was velcroed to Tee and another defender was closing in for a big hit/pass break-up. Still, Tee was playing the game with bowling balls as hands.

[*ochocincos*]

(09-26-2023, 12:56 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Actually, Chase has caught 22 of 33 targets, which is about 10 percentage points above his career catch percentage.  Sure, the big gainers haven't been there, but he's still been catching the catchable balls thrown his way.

Dud is yardage to me.
I don't care what percentage of catches a person makes.
If you catch 6 balls but only get 30-40 yards, that's not very productive offensive-wise, especially for an outside WR.
TE or RB that might be more acceptable, but not a WR.

[3wt]

(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

I agree the entire offense has been out of synch.   For a number of reasons, but the unfortunate injury to Joe is clearly affecting him and that affects everyone. 

To his credit - and the entire team, they toughed it out and did enough to win the game.  I will not mention - except in passing - the amazing job the defense did last night.   But Burrow hung in there, Mixon had some really nice runs, Chase killed it, the offensive line is improved and I liked the impact Tanner Hudson had.

But if Tee catches those passes it's not as close a game.  They were momentum killing drops.

And just for the record, we should have gone for it on 4th down on the first drive

There's a lot of season left to figure out where everyone really is.    I think Burrow is going to struggle the whole season with a nagging injury.   But if everyone gels behind him we still have a shot.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(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.

The thing I am keeping an eye on is that:
Week 1 was against a 6'2" CB
Week 2 was against a 5'8" CB
Week 3 was against a 6'0" CB

[Whatever]

(09-26-2023, 12:10 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Tee was the #1 WR here his rookie year.  He caught over 60% of balls he was targeted with, which is why I call his effort and focus into question this season.

I don't feel it's an effort issue and I'm far from a Higgins Stan.

We have to remember how Tee disappeared after Burrow went down his rookie year, and that was used as an excuse for him not hitting 1000 yards.  

The biggest special quality Burrow has is his ball placement.  The guy has the ability to just put the ball in spots where his receivers can get it, but the defender can't.  Unfortunately, Joe has an injury that's affected his mechanics and he can't place the ball like he normally does.  That means a guy like Higgins, who struggles to separate even in single coverage against #2 CB's, is going to struggle.  Joe can't just squeeze them into him, anymore.  

His production will improve as Joe heals, but he's an issue right now with the offense.  He has only 10 catches for 110 yards on 28 targets through 3 games, a 35.7% catch %.  Almost all of the production he has had was against a decimated Ravens secondary.  It really feels like Joe is forcing it to him, and that's hurting the offense a lot.

[casear2727]

(09-26-2023, 11:42 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Burrow should have never tried to throw that ball there. The defender was all over him.

(09-26-2023, 12:58 PM)Destro Wrote: Correct. The defender was velcroed to Tee and another defender was closing in for a big hit/pass break-up. Still, Tee was playing the game with bowling balls as hands.

The ball hit Tyler in the chest, it is the NFL, tight throws like that are made every game. Boyd had 2 hands on the ball and the defender took it away with only one. Great play by the defender and weak hands by Tyler.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

Nah, bad game is all, everyone has them. He was great in the Ravens game. He will be fine, just watch and by the end of
the season will be a top WR and we can either tag him or let him go somewhere else with his SB ring.

[masonbengals fan]

(09-26-2023, 12:56 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: Tee hasn't checked out...because that's not the kind of person or player he is. He's struggled and has been very inconsistent so far, but he'll rebound and give us some big performances. I don't have any doubt about that.

Me either. He will get it going. 

[TheFan]

(09-26-2023, 01:06 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Dud is yardage to me.
I don't care what percentage of catches a person makes.
If you catch 6 balls but only get 30-40 yards, that's not very productive offensive-wise, especially for an outside WR.
TE or RB that might be more acceptable, but not a WR.

If your QB can't reliably throw the ball more than 10 yards down field what are you supposed to do as a WR/offense? They can't magically put the ball in their hands for 30 yard gains.