WASHINGTON — The Washington Commanders will make their primetime debut on Monday Night Football, and they’ll do it on the road against the 0-2 Cincinnati Bengals who are looking for their first win of the season and hoping for the return of a primary weapon to help them get it.
While the presence of Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase is enough to concern any defense - including the Commanders’ - he hasn’t been successful in getting his team into the win column without teammate Tee Higgins on the field.
Through the first two weeks of the NFL season Higgins has had to sit out with a hamstring injury. At risk of dropping three straight to start the year, however, it looks like Higgins may make his debut against Washington in Week 3. Just their luck.
After practicing in limited fashion on Thursday and Friday, Higgins was a full participant for Cincinnati on Saturday and has no game status listed on the team’s final injury report for Week 3 - meaning he’s all set to make his season debut against the Commanders.
Not playing for the Bengals Monday night will be tight end Tanner Hudson (knee) and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (hamstring) while defensive tackle B.J. Hill (hamstring) is doubtful and defensive tackle Kris Jenkins (thumb) is questionable.
Speaking of thumb injuries, the return of Higgins means Washington needs all the help it can get, and cornerback Emmanuel Forbes is officially questionable a little over one week after undergoing a surgical procedure to repair the UCL in his thumb.
While Forbes was a limited participant in practice Friday and Saturday after missing Thursday, defensive end Clelin Ferrell (knee) was limited on Friday but missed practice altogether on Thursday and Saturday leading to his being declared as out for the game Monday.
First-year defensive tackle Jer’Zhan ‘Johnny’ Newton (foot/rest) was limited on the final two days of practice but appeared to have a clean bill of health to play this weekend after making his season and NFL debut in the Commanders’ win over the New York Giants in Week 2.
Several other Washington players were on the week’s practice report, such as defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr. (chest), offensive tackle Brandon Coleman (ankle), and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste (groin), but all were cleared as available to play in Week 3.
The Bengals and Commanders kickoff Monday night at 8:15 p.m. ET at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.
