The Cincinnati Bengals will be without one of their top offensive playmakers Saturday night when they take on the Houston Texans. Tight end Tyler Eifert has been ruled out of the contest with a back injury, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Eifert had been on fire for Cincinnati before last weekend’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers when he was injured. In his previous three games, the tight end had caught four touchdown passes, and his five total on the season is tied for the team lead.
This news dampens the hope fans might have had of a high-scoring game with A.J. Green slated to come back, though he’s officially listed as questionable on the injury report.
Cincinnati, with just five wins on the season, is limping to the finish line after a season full of disappointment. The team can still play spoiler, however, against Houston this weekend. In a prime-time, Christmas Even matchup, they can put a huge roadblock in front of the Texans’ playoff hopes with a win on the road.
Based on this latest news, however, it’s going to take a big defensive effort and some strong play on the ground by Jeremy Hill in order for the Bengals to post their sixth win of the season.