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          Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins' biggest NFL catches

          Bengals receiver Tee Higgins posted more than 3,000 yards over his first three seasons as a pro. Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
          • Ben Baby, ESPN Staff WriterDec 20, 2023, 06:00 AM ET
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              Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN's NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor's degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
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          CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins knew he had to make a play.

          With the team trailing the Minnesota Vikings by a touchdown in the final minute of Saturday's game, Bengals quarterback Jake Browning desperately floated a ball in the direction of Higgins, who did the rest.

          The fourth-year wideout leapt over two defenders near the pylon, and with a cornerback trying to wrestle him to the sideline, he shifted the ball to his right hand, leaned back and quickly stretched his right arm across the goal line before falling out of bounds.

          Touchdown. Tie game. And eventually, a 27-24 Bengals win in overtime.

          It was just one of the many catches in his NFL career that have shown how valuable Higgins has been for the Bengals.

          "I'll put it up there," he said, when asked to assess where his catch against the Vikings ranked among his personal favorites.

          If the Bengals can beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, NBC ) and continue their unlikely playoff push, Higgins' reception could be one of the most important catches of Cincinnati's season.

          The 6-foot-4 wideout produced 3,028 receiving yards in his first three pro seasons.

          Before the season, Higgins told ESPN's "First Take" he wanted to prove he's capable of being a No. 1 receiver. His rookie deal expires at season's end. If the Bengals don't extend his contract or tag him between now and March 5, he will be a free agent this offseason.

          Injuries have derailed him in 2023. He suffered a fractured rib in a Week 4 loss to the Tennessee Titans, which caused him to miss a week. Then a hamstring injury he suffered in practice forced him to miss Weeks 10-12.

          Drops haven't helped his case, either. His drop rate of 9.1% is nearly triple his career rate of 3.4% he held before the season started, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

          One of those miscues came early in Saturday's game against Minnesota. But when it mattered most, Higgins made the type of play that will make a lasting impact when it's time for contract discussions this offseason.

          "You just gotta go out there, and when the opportunities come my way," Higgins said before the game, "I gotta make that play."

          vs. Baltimore Ravens, Week 16, 2021

          Down: Third-and-16

          Yards gained: 52

          Expected completion probability: 14.1%

          Separation: 0.5 yards

          The story: Higgins said his catch in a Week 16 game against the Ravens in 2021 is the best of his NFL career. And he's not alone. Bengals veteran wideout Stanley Morgan called it a "grown man" play from a receiver who was in his second pro season.

          With less than two minutes left in the first half, the Bengals were looking to go into halftime with a commanding lead. A win would move the Bengals one step closer to their first division title since 2015.

          On the play, Higgins streaked down the left sideline against zone coverage. Baltimore's defensive backs Brandon Stephens and Kevon Seymour tracked him. Higgins turned around before the ball arrived, extended his arms, grabbed the ball with both hands above his head and fell forward to the ground as he completed the catch.

          The thing Morgan admired most about the play wasn't how Higgins split the defenders to make the catch. It was how steady the ball remained as Higgins finished the play.

          "The ball never moved until afterwards a little bit, but that's just great concentration and great hands to me," Morgan said.

          Higgins set a career high in receptions (12) and receiving yards (194) in a 41-21 victory that signaled Cincinnati's status as a playoff contender that season.

          at Jacksonville Jaguars, Week 13, 2023

          Down: Third-and-10

          Yards gained: 11 yards

          Win probability added: 16.2%

          Separation: 3.4 yards

          The story: The Bengals were under .500 and facing the AFC South-leading Jaguars on the road on "Monday Night Football". They were at risk of taking a loss that could sink their playoff hopes. Even a tie was not a preferred outcome.

          With just over three minutes left in overtime, Cincinnati dialed up Higgins.

          Matched up 1-on-1 against Jacksonville cornerback Tyson Campbell in man coverage, Higgins ran upfield and toward the sideline to get inside of Campbell, who drifted toward the middle of the field. Browning fired the pass and Higgins caught the ball near his head, got his feet down in bounds and made sure the ball stayed past the first-down marker so the possession would continue.

          Bengals wide receivers coach Troy Walters said the subtle move Higgins made at the top of the route was something he had worked on dating back to training camp.

          "When he came, he was somewhat raw, but each year he's gotten better," Walters said. "He works at it for his size, he's able to get in and out of his brakes, his cuts. He's very fluid. He almost plays like a smaller receiver."

          at New York Jets, Week 3, 2022

          Down: Second-and-goal (NYJ 12-yard line)

          Yards gained: 0

          Completion probability: 19.7%

          Separation: 0.6 yards

          The story: This was a catch that wasn't ruled a catch. But noteworthy enough to include.

          A similar play was allowed later in the season after Higgins' would-be touchdown was disallowed, even after a replay that was unsuccessful. But it was also one of the catches offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and fellow Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase remembered best.

          Cincinnati was 0-2 and looking for a spark in their opening drive against the Jets.

          Higgins ran a fade route to the back right corner of the end zone. Joe Burrow lofted a ball in his direction. Higgins leaped, turned, caught the ball over his head and tapped his toes down in the field of play before he fell out of bounds.

          "I jumped up and I felt like I was floating," Higgins said. "But once I caught it, I knew I was already in the back of the end zone, so I just tried to get my feet down."

          But because it was his toes and not his heels, the play was not ruled a touchdown. Later in the season, Miami's Trent Sherfield made a similar catch that did count, which bolsters Higgins' belief that he should have scored.

          What isn't up for debate is how impressive Higgins made a difficult act look.

          "He did it with a defender on him and caught it out [of] the air and just landed on his front toes but falling backwards," Chase said. "You don't really see that too many times. That's a lot of body control right there."

          vs. Minnesota, Week 15, 2023

          Down: Second-and-10

          Yards gained: 21

          Completion probability: 25.0%

          Separation: 1.0 yards

          The story: The same attributes that played a role in Higgins' no-catch against the Jets helped Higgins make a reception that helped keep Cincinnati in the playoff hunt this season.

          A loss to the Vikings would have severely dented the Bengals' bid to make the postseason for a third straight season. Cincinnati lost Chase for the remainder of the game with a right shoulder injury, taking away one of Browning's top options.

          And so with time winding down in regulation, Browning heaved a ball to Higgins.

          Leading up to the game, the Bengals practiced that play but with Higgins receiving the ball in the back of the end zone, instead of right before the goal line.

          "He had trust in me and gave me a ball," Higgins said of Browning. "That was a 'trust' throw and I was able to go out and make a play."

          When Chase left the game with the injury, Higgins said Walters told him to be an "alpha."

          "That's a 1A/1B [situation]," Browning said of Chase and Higgins after the game. "I have a ton of comfort. Maybe Tee doesn't feel that way, but I throw it to him like he's going to be the alpha all the time."

          at Kansas City Chiefs, AFC Championship Game, 2021

          Down: Second-and-8

          Yards gained: 8

          Completion probability: 37.7%

          Win probability added: 9.2%

          Separation: 0.5 yards

          The story: The Bengals were on the cusp of reaching the Super Bowl for the first time since 1989. Kansas City was in the midst of an ongoing run that included two Super Bowl victories and five straight appearances in the AFC Championship Game.

          This catch against Kansas City kept the run rolling. After the Bengals intercepted Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes at the beginning of overtime, Cincinnati got the ball with a chance to win. Higgins had been overshadowed at times by Chase and the immediate rapport he had with Burrow, who played with Chase at LSU. But when the Bengals needed a play in the biggest moments that season, they leaned on Higgins.

          This was no different. Twice on that drive, coach Zac Taylor dialed up slants to Higgins. Both were catches that ultimately set up kicker Evan McPherson's game-winning field goal.

          In those big moments, Taylor and Burrow said they had full confidence Higgins would deliver.

          "He's got a great understanding of the timing of our offense and when he should expect the ball," Taylor said. "He can identify coverages as well as any guy I've been around. He's got a ton of qualities you can't put in one little sentence."