New England Patriots v Cincinnati Bengals
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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins will not play against the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving due to the concussion he suffered in Sunday's 26-20 loss to the New England Patriots. Coach Zac Taylor announced Monday that the standout pass-catcher will be unavailable for Week 13 as he remains in concussion protocol.

Late in the fourth quarter of the Week 12 loss, 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. 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.

"I don't want to speak for him," Taylor said, declining to speak on Higgins' response to the injury. "It was obviously a tough one. That's where we land."

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.

The soonest Higgins could return to the lineup is Dec. 7 when the Bengals travel for another marquee matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

Ja'Marr Chase to return in Tee Higgins' absence

The Bengals' top receivers continue to trade places in the lineup. Higgins served as the No. 1 target while Chase served his suspension, and Chase will now leap back into his premier role with Higgins on the shelf. Chase's return comes at an opportune time for Cincinnati with star quarterback Joe Burrow likely to suit up on Thursday for the first time since injuring his toe in Week 2.

While the Bengals' passing attack will not be at full strength until Higgins gets healthy, the Burrow-Chase tandem is one of the most prolific duos in the NFL and could wreak havoc on defenses down the stretch. Those two may be in for an explosive day against a Ravens defense that, while much improved in recent weeks, was among the leakiest groups in the league for much of the season and struggled against the pass in particular.