NEW ORLEANS _ Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow walked back into the Caesars Superdome before Sunday's game against the Saints wearing the LSU No. 1 jersey his once and future teammate Ja'Marr Chase wore the night they won the national championship in here nearly two years ago.
But all pregame eyes were on Burrow's other wide receiver, Tee Higgins, limited throughout the week with a sprained ankle. After working him, out head coach Zac Taylor made him active and it remains to be seen how much he'll play after he went just 10 snaps Sunday night in Baltimore.
The move came just minutes before the inactive list was due. Tackle D'Ante Smith, guard Jackson Carman, running back Trayveon Williams and cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt were on it.
Before Higgins got hurt late in the Sept. 29 win over the Dolphins, he had been smoking like Burrow's national title cigar. After suffering a concussion in the second quarter of the opener and not getting a target in the first half of the next game, he finished that day in Dallas with six catches for 71 yards and a touchdown that allowed the Bengals to tie it late.
The next week against the Jets Higgins had 93 yards in the first half on five catches and followed that up with a season-high 124 yards against Miami that included a back-breaking 59-yard touchdown catch on third-and-11 against Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard.
SLANTS AND SCREEN: The Saints had four wide receivers on their inactive list, including their top three in Michael Thomas, Jarvis Landry and first-round pick Chris Olave …
Plus, New Orleans is without four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore …
Active for the Bengals, rather remarkably, was left tackle Jonah Williams a week after he dislocated a kneecap in Baltimore Sunday night. Williams missed just six snaps, played the entire second half and received Pro Football Focus' top offensive grade for the Bengals. Williams earned what figured to be Sunday's start. He said he spent about five hours each day in the training room before going through most of Friday's practice with a knee brace ....
The last time the Bengals played here, quarterback Andy Dalton threw three touchdown passes and threw for 220 yards in a 27-10 victory over the Saints. Now he's Sunday's foe …
The last time Burrow was here, he offered one of the greatest performances in college championship play when he led LSU to the national title game during a 42-25 victory over Clemson he threw for five touchdowns and 463 yards on 31 of 49 passing …
Chase was his main man with two touchdowns and a title-game record of 221 yards on nine catches …
Because of all the local connections, Taylor had a full house of game captains. LSU national champions Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase. Former Saints defensive backs Vonn Bell and Eli Apple. Right tackle La'el Collins, an LSU alum who grew up in Baton Rouge, and back-up wide receiver and special teams staple Stanley Morgan, Jr., a New Orleans native....
The Saints won the toss and Dalton deferred to Burrow...
