AFC Notes: Tee Higgins, Deshaun Watson, Bengals, Browns, Steelers

Bengals

Cincinnati fell to 1-4 after an overtime loss to Baltimore where they missed a 53-yard field goal after taking over in plus territory. Bengals WR Tee Higgins would have liked them to be more aggressive in moving the ball downfield rather than settling for a long attempt.

“Personally, I think we should have gone a little bit more aggressive in the first and second downs just to try to get Evan in better field goal range,” Higgins said, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “You know he makes those from that deep. I’m not putting it on him at all, you know what I’m saying. So it’s a team effort, we lost as a team, but we could have did a better job at putting him in better field goal range to make it an easier kick.”

Bengals HC Zac Taylor cited his belief in K Evan McPherson as why they were okay playing it safe with the ball and taking a longer kick.

“When you’re in field goal range and you believe in your kicker, it really is as simple as that,” Taylor said.

• Bengals OL Jaxson Kirkland tore his bicep and is out for the year. (Ben Baby)

Browns

Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said the Browns plan to stick with QB Deshaun Watson despite his struggles.

“Again, it kind of goes back to what I said earlier,” Stefanski said, via PFT. “I have to coach better. As offensive coaches, we have to coach better. As players, we have to play better. Deshaun can play better. He will play better. He’s had some, obviously, good moments. And then there’s times that we have to play better around him. But he’s committed to getting better. We’re committed as an offense to putting our guys in a position to succeed.”

Stefanski added that it’s his decision to stick with Watson.

“I understand the question. As you guys know, I make decisions for our football team, but I, obviously, consult with [G.M.] Andrew [Berry]. We talk about everything that goes on with our football team,” Stefanski said. “But ultimately, it’s my decision, yes.”

Steelers

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin was asked how he felt about the way that RB Najee Harris has performed through the first five games of the 2024 season.

“I’ve been pleased with the trajectory of his game,” Tomlin told the team website.  “He started faster this year than he has in other years, but he came into camp really ready to go. He was in top-notch condition. He’s at that point in his career where he’s still young, but yet experienced, so it’s reasonable to expect him to start with fluidity and be productive. And so I like where we are. Obviously, there’s still some growth ahead of us, for him and for the collective particularly as it pertains to the run game, but I like where he is.”

• Tomlin on why WR George Pickens only played 34 of 57 offensive snaps in Week 5: “We just wanted to minimize his reps in an effort to get more productivity. … We did want to cut his reps a little bit in an effort to get higher quality play, just in general.” (Brooke Pryor)