Bengals QB Joe Burrow Has Better Numbers When He's Missing Tee Higgins or Ja'Marr Chase Than When He Has Both WRs

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins said there was “no way” he would have been able to play against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13, even if the game had been on Sunday instead of Thanksgiving night.

While nothing is official yet, the prognosis is likely the same for Sunday for the rematch against the Ravens after Higgins reported concussion symptoms after the team’s loss to Buffalo, during which the receiver twice hit his head on the turf hard enough to require evaluations from the independent neurologist.

The Bengals listed Higgins as a limited participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday, and the recovery time is typically longer after a second concussion in a span of days.

While not having Higgins – who leads the team in touchdowns with nine this season and ranks fourth among all receivers with 19 since the start of 2024 – would be a big hit for the Cincinnati offense, it’s something the Bengals and quarterback Joe Burrow have overcome many times.

Since Ja’Marr Chase arrived in 2021, Burrow has started 13 games in which he didn’t have either Higgins or Chase.

Remarkably, his numbers are better when either Chase or Higgins don't play.

In the 13 games in which he didn’t have one of his top receivers, Burrow has completed 323 of 468 passes for 3,496 yards with 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Completion percentage: 69.0

Yards per attempt: 7.5

Passer rating is 105.9

In 51 games with both Chase and Higgins, Burrow is 1,227 of 1,799 for 13,529 yards with 104 touchdowns and 36 interceptions.

Completion percentage: 68.5

Yards per attempt: 7.5

Passer rating: 101.9

The numbers aren’t crazy better, but they’re better, which is impressive given that Burrow has had to work around the absence of an elite receiver.

In case you’re wondering, here is a breakdown of the games, the quality of the opponent and how the healthy receiver fared:

No Chase

Week 8, 2022 – Browns 32, Bengals 13

Spread: Bengals by 3

25 of 35, 232 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT

Higgins: 3 rec., 49 yards, TD

Week 9, 2022 – Bengals 42, Panthers 21

Spread: Bengals by 7

22 of 28 for 206 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT

Higgins: 7 rec., 60 yards

Week 10, 2022 – Bengals 37, Steelers 30

Spread: Bengals by 3.5

24 of 39 for 355 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs

Higgins: 9 rec., 148 yards

Weel 11, 2022 – Bengals 20, Titans 16

Spread: Bengals by 1.5

22 of 37 for 270 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT

Higgins: 7 rec., 114 yards, TD

No Higgins

Week 3, 2021 – Bengals 24, Steelers 10

Spread: Steelers by 3

14 of 18 for 172 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT

Chase: 4 rec., 65 yars, 2 TDs

Week 4, 2021 – Bengals 24, Jaguars 21

Spread: Bengals by 7.5

25 of 32 for 348 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT

Chase: 6 rec., 77 yards

Week 5, 2023 – Bengals 34, Cardinals 20

Spread: Bengals by 3

36 of 46 for 317 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT

Chase: 15 rec., 192 yards, 3 TDs

Week 1, 2024 – Patriots 16, Bengals 10

Spread: Bengals by 7.5

21 of 29 for 164 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT

Chase: 6 rec., 62 yards

Week 2, 2024 – Chiefs 26, Bengals 25

Spread: Chiefs by 6

23 of 26 for 258 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT

Chase: 4 rec., 35 yards

Week 8, 2024 – Eagles 37, Bengals 17

Spread: Bengals by 2.5

26 of 37 for 234 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Chase: 9 rec., 54 yards, 1 TD

Week 9, 2024 – Bengals 41, Raiders 24

Spread: Bengals by 7

27 of 39 for 251 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT

Chase: 7 rec., 43 yards

Week 10, 2024 – Ravens 35, Bengals 34

Spread: Ravens by 6

34 of 56 for 428 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INT

Chase: 11 rec., 264 yards, 3 TDs

Week 12, 2025 – Bengals 32, Ravens 14

24 of 46 for 261 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT

Ravens by 7.5

Chase: 7 rec., 110 yards