Matt Johnson
The Cincinnati Bengals needed a big play to open the second half of Super Bowl LVI, Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins delivered instantly.
Trailing 13-10 coming out of halftime, Cincinnati wasted no time going for the big play. On the first play of the third quarter, Burrow evaded the pass rush in a collapsing pocket and launched it downfield to Higgins.
Higgins, the second-year wide receiver, made the biggest play of his career. With Jalen Ramsey in tight coverage, the Bengals’ 6-foot-4 weapon used his size and hands to get himself free. As Ramsey lay on the ground, Higgins raced in for the go-ahead touchdown.
As the Bengals celebrated their 75-yard score and their first lead of Super Bowl LVI, Ramsey was left baffled. The refs missed Higgins grabbing the All-Pro cornerback by the facemask, chucking him to the ground to get open.
It was clearly a missed call, with Higgins guilty of offensive pass interference. However, the refs missed it and Cincinnati took a 17-13 lead. In a close game, it could prove to be the difference in determining the Super Bowl champion.
