Tee Higgins has been essential for the Cincinnati Bengals’ winning streak that helped them back into postseason contention.

They might have to finish Saturday’s Week 18 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers without the wide receiver, who is questionable to return with an ankle injury. The fifth-year player, set to be a free agent at the conclusion of this season, had four catches for 53 yards as Cincinnati carried a two-possession lead early in the fourth quarter.

A hamstring injury cost Higgins, who’s playing this season on the franchise tag, the first two games of the season, and a quad ailment forced him to sit out three games during the middle of the campaign.

Since returning from that injury (five games), Higgins has 40 catches for 517 yards and seven touchdowns, including three scores last Saturday against the Denver Broncos. 

All things Bengals: Latest Cincinnati Bengals news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ airplane was set to arrive in Denver at 3 p.m. Mountain Time. It didn’t take off until almost 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time.

The reigning Super Bowl champions were preparing to leave for their Week 18 clash with the Denver Broncos when the Kansas City airport, MCI, closed down due to icy conditions. As a result, the Chiefs’ plane remained ‘stranded’ on the tarmac in Kansas City for over four hours, according to CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson.

According to reports, the airport’s de-icing machine was broken, adding to the delay.

Other reporters indicated that the team wanted to push the flight’s schedule up when the weather in Kansas City started to worsen, but the charter plane was already delayed in its arrival. Consequently, the Chiefs had to stick to the originally scheduled departure time and ended up stuck in Kansas City until the runway could be de-iced.

At 5:21 p.m. Central Time, more than four hours after the Chiefs reportedly arrived on the tarmac, Fox 4 News anchor Harold R. Kuntz reported that the flight had finally been cleared for take-off.

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The Chiefs will face the Broncos in Denver at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday. Kansas City has already clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed and announced it will be resting several of its starters, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The Broncos need to come away with the win in Week 18 to clinch the AFC’s final open playoff spot.

The Cincinnati Bengals’ playoff hopes are still alive after narrowly defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 19-17 on Saturday. 

Despite starting the season 4-8, the Bengals have closed on a five-game win streak and have a path to the postseason if the Denver Broncos lose to the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins lose to or tie the New York Jets on Sunday. 

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said it’s “not great” that their fate is in someone else’s hands, “but we put ourselves in this position. No one to blame but ourselves.’

‘We’ll enjoy this win and go and watch some football tomorrow and hope for the best,” Burrow added.

Burrow completed 37 of 46 passes on Saturday for 277 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked four times for 31 yards, including one where he ended up in the blue tent. “I’ll be a little sore tomorrow, but I’ll be all good,” Burrow said. 

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The Steelers have a streak of their own going, losing the last four games of the regular season. The Steelers had an opportunity to steal the game late, but TE Pat Freiermuth couldn’t catch a fourth down pass that would have given Pittsburgh a first down. 

Freiermuth had a team-high eight receptions for 85 yards and one touchdown. Russell Wilson completed 17 of 31 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown. He was sacked four times, 3.5 of them coming from Bengals star Trey Hendrickson.

Check out the highlights and top moments from the Bengals-Steelers clash on Saturday night below:

Bengals vs. Steelers highlights

Final: Bengals 19, Steelers 17

Pittsburgh forced a three-and-out to give itself a chance to win, but its last-gasp drive came up empty. Russell Wilson was tackled in bounds on a run, then was sacked in a disastrous sequence that proved fatal to the Steelers’ hopes of pulling off an improbable victory.

Bengals’ muffed punt leads to Steelers FG 

The Steelers punted the ball away, but got it right back. The Bengals’ D.J. Ivey inadvertently kicked the ball while trying to block on the punt return. It was recovered by Connor Heyward before going out of bounds.

Chris Boswell went on to kick a 54-yard field goal to cut the Steelers’ deficit to 19-17 with 2:39 remaining. 

Najee Harris questionable to return 

The Steelers running back is questionable to return with a possible head injury after a helmet-to-helmet hit. He was evaluated in the blue tent before heading back to the locker room. Harris exited the contest with 12 carries for 38 yards and three receptions for 22 yards.

He did return, however, catching a pass on the Steelers’ final drive.

Pat Freiermuth scores to cut into Cincinnati’s lead; Najee Harris injured

The Steelers have life. TE Pat Freiermuth caught a 19-yard touchdown pass with 8:07 remaining in the fourth quarter to cut the Bengals’ lead to five points, 19-14. The touchdown was set up by Russell Wilson’s 12-yard scramble to get a first down at Cincinnati’s 31-yard line. 

Running back Najee Harris went down on the drive after what appeared to be a helmet-to-helmet hit. 

The Steelers said Harris was ‘being evaluated for a possible head injury’ and was questionable to return.

Bengals extend lead to 19-7

Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase says he’s always open and he highlighted that on a 19-yard reception from Joe Burrow. Chase caught the pass over his back shoulder before turning and dragging his foot along the sideline.

The Bengals’ drive stalled, however, and they weren’t able to capitalize on another trip to the red zone. Cincinnati settled for a field goal to go up 19-7. 

Joe Burrow cleared; Tee Higgins questionable 

Joe Burrow is out of the blue tent and back in the game.

Burrow was evaluated for a concussion after he was driven to the ground on a sack, but he was cleared to return without missing a drive. WR Tee Higgins, however, was deemed questionable to return with an ankle injury.

Steelers punt again after George Pickens drop

The Steelers punted yet again after a costly drop. Facing third-and-8 on their own 44-yard line, Russell Wilson targeted George Pickens for the second time on Saturday with a deep ball along the sidelines that would have given the Steelers a first down. Pickens beat his defender, but dropped the ball. Pickens only has one reception for no yards on the night. 

Joe Burrow heads to blue tent after sack 

The Steelers’ defense stepped up again. On third-and-2 at Pittsburgh’s 5-yard line, Joe Burrow was sacked for a loss of 12 yards by Nick Herbig and Cameron Heyward, who both landed on top of Burrow. The Bengals QB landed face down and remained down on the field with pieces of turf stuck in his face guard. Burrow was able to walk off the field under his own power and immediately went to the blue tent for evaluation. No penalty flag was thrown for roughing the passer. 

The Bengals settled for a 35-yard field goal try, which Cade York knocked through to push Cincinnati’s lead to 16-7.

Burrow exited the tent and remained on the sideline and was back in the game for the Bengals’ next series.

Halftime: Bengals 13, Steelers 7

The Bengals have a slight lead heading into halftime, up 13-7 over Pittsburgh through two quarters. 

The Steelers’ defense has kept the score close, but their offense must get going if they want to snap their three-game losing streak. Pittsburgh only recorded 75 total yards in the first half, 48 of those yards coming on the ground. QB Russell Wilson completed four of eight passes for 45 yards. He was sacked two times for 18 yards. 

Bengals QB Joe Burrow completed 21 of 27 passes for 153 yards, one touchdown and one interception. WR Ja’Marr Chase has five receptions for 41 yards and one touchdown. 

Bengals extend lead to 13-7 with field goal

The Bengals extended their lead over the Steelers to six points with a 27-yard field goal with 16 seconds remaining in the first half. Cincinnati received the ball at Pittsburgh’s 37-yard line and made it to the red zone, but the Bengals were unable to score after Joe Burrow threw three straight incompletions. 

Steelers turn ball over on downs

The Steelers turned the ball over on downs at their own 37-yard line with 49 seconds left in the first half after they failed to pick up 1 yard on two consecutive plays. Russell Wilson’s quarterback sneak came up short on third-and-1 and running back Jaylen Warren wasn’t able to move the chains on fourth-and-1. 

Joe Burrow picked off 

The Bengals looked like they were going to put more points on the board heading into halftime, but the Steelers forced a turnover. Joe Burrow’s pass intended for Ja’Marr Chase was deflected and bobbled in the air by Steelers LB Patrick Queen. Beanie Bishop Jr. completed the interception at Pittsburgh’s 17-yard-line. 

Steelers fumble punt return; Bengals recover 

The Bengals started their possession behind the sticks after being called for an ineligible man downfield and Cincinnati wasn’t able to recover. Steelers LB Preston Smith sacked Bengals QB Joe Burrow on third down at Cincinnati’s 19-yard line, leading to a punt. 

Cincinnati, however, was able to get the ball right back. The Steelers’ Calvin Austin III fumbled on the punt return after Bengals LB Shaka Heyward appeared to punch the ball out. Cincinnati recovered the fumble on Pittsburgh’s 33-yard line. 

Bengals turn ball over on downs 

Instead of settling for another field goal, the Bengals went for it on fourth-and-1 at Pittsburgh’s 37-yard line. Enter Cameron Heyward. The Steelers’ 35-year-old defensive tackle tipped Joe Burrow’s pass, resulting in a turnover on downs. 

Bengals 10, Steelers 7: Pittsburgh takes advantage of penalties to get in end zone

The Steelers cashed in on their trip to the red zone and they had help along the way. QB Russell Wilson kept Pittsburgh’s drive alive with a 25-yard completion to WR Mike Williams, who showcased his twinkle-toes along the sidelines on third-and-long to get into Cincinnati territory.

A pass interference penalty was called on Bengals CB Cam Taylor-Britt for impeding TE Pat Freiermuth, setting up the Steelers at the Bengals’ 29-yard line. Taylor-Britt was called for pass interference again on TE Darnell Washington in the end zone, putting the Steelers at the Bengals’ 1-yard line. RB Najee Harris punched it in for a 1-yard touchdown. 

Bengals settle for field goal, go up 10-0

The Steelers’ defense held the Bengals to a field goal. Facing third-and-6 on Pittsburgh’s 26-yard line, Bengals QB Joe Burrow was sacked by LB Patrick Queen and fumbled the ball. It was recovered by Cincinnati and the Bengals settled for a 48-yard field goal to extend their lead to 10 points. 

Steelers go three-and-out

The Steelers had no response to the Bengals’ opening touchdown. Despite starting on its own 40-yard line, Pittsburgh went three-and-out on its first drive. QB Russell Wilson was sacked by Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson on third-and-7 for a 9-yard loss. It marked Hendrickson’s 15th sack of the season, the most in the league. 

Ja’Marr Chase scores on opening drive: Bengals 7, Steelers 0

The Bengals are off to a red-hot start, despite the frigid temperatures. QB Joe Burrow completed six of six passes on the Bengals’ nine-play, 73-yard opening touchdown drive. Three of those receptions went to WR Ja’Marr Chase, including a 12-yard touchdown pass right up the middle to give the Bengals a 7-0 lead over the Steelers. 

Bengals TE Mike Gesicki picks up bonus 

Bengals TE Mike Gesicki is $125,000 richer. He entered Saturday’s matchup against the Steelers needing 3 receiving yards to reach 600 on the season to trigger a six-digit incentive. It didn’t take long. Gesicki caught a 12-yard pass from QB Joe Burrow on the Bengals’ opening drive to collect the extra money. He can pick up another $125,000 if he gets two touchdown grabs. 

Bengals playoff scenarios

The Bengals still are a long shot to reach the playoffs. Cincinnati first must win its matchup against the Steelers on Saturday in Pittsburgh. The Bengals will then need some help the rest of the way. They need the Denver Broncos to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins to lose or tie the New York Jets on Sunday. 

Steelers playoff scenarios: Wild-card spot locked in after Ravens win AFC North

The Baltimore Ravens clinched the AFC North and the No. 3 seed Saturday with a 35-10 win over the Cleveland Browns. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson completed 16 of 32 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to nine carries for 63 yards. Running back Derrick Henry celebrated his 31st birthday with 20 carries for 138 yards and two touchdowns. The win wasn’t without any difficulties. Receiver Zay Flowers went down clutching his knee in the first half and was ruled out the remainder of the game. His status for the playoffs is not clear. 

The Steelers will be the No. 5 seed, facing the AFC South champion Houston Texans, if they beat the Bengals Saturday night. If the Steelers lose to the Bengals, they could slip to the No. 6 seed — where they would face the Ravens — if the Chargers win Sunday.

Steelers WR George Pickens fined

Pickens’ wallet got a little lighter after Christmas and it had nothing to do with shopping. Pickens was fined $10,231 for unsportsmanlike conduct in the Steelers’ 29-10 Christmas Day loss to the Kansas City Chiefs for removing his helmet. Pickens was called for a false start on a fourth-down attempt, resulting in him putting his hands to his head and removing his helmet in frustration on the field.

Steelers inactives: CB Donte Jackson out

Donte Jackson came into Saturday listed as questionable, but he won’t suit up against the Cincinnati Bengals due to a back injury. Jackson landed on the Steelers’ inactive list, alongside WR Scott Miller, DE Isaiahh Loudermilk, DE Dean Lowry and QB Kyle Allen. 

Bengals inactives: Chase Brown out

It’s do or die for the Bengals and they will be down their starting running back. Chase Brown was listed as inactive vs. the Steelers on Saturday due to an ankle injury. It’s a big blow for the Bengals. Brown has recorded 990 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, in addition to 360 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 16 games this season. 

WR Charlie Jones, DE Isaiah Thomas, OT Andrew Stueber, WR Jermaine Burton, TE Tanner McLachlan and DE Sam Hubbard are also on the Bengals’ inactive list. 

Temperatures drop below freezing in Pittsburgh 

Stakes are high for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals in their matchup on Saturday, but temperatures at Acrisure Stadium will be very low. 

According to The Weather Channel, the temperature in Pittsburgh is expected to drop to 21 degrees at kickoff at 8:00 p.m. ET. Fans and players not only have to brave the cold, they also have to withstand 10 mph winds that will increase to 12 mph throughout the contest. The frigid forecast states that it will feel like 10 degrees in Pittsburgh.

Steelers vs. Bengals start time

Start time: 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT)

The Steelers and Bengals are set to kick off at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday night.

Steelers vs. Bengals TV channel

TV channel: ABC | ESPN

ABC and ESPN will simulcast the Steelers-Bengals matchup on Saturday night. Chris Fowler (play-by-play) will be flanked by Louis Riddick and Dan Orlovsky in the broadcast booth.

Steelers vs. Bengals predictions, picks

Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels the matchup between the Bengals and Steelers will go:

Lorenzo Reyes: Bengals 26, Steelers 17
Jordan Mendoza: Bengals 24, Steelers 20

Left behind for Steelers game, Bengals’ Jermaine Burton also faces eviction

Burton, a rookie out of Alabama, also did not travel with the team for Saturday’s night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, head coach Zac Taylor said.

Taylor said it was his decision to leave his third-round draft pick behind, but did not comment on the reason for the choice.

— Cameron Knight, Cincinnati Enquirer

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LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard is set to make his season debut for the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday night against the Atlanta Hawks at the Intuit Dome.

Coach Tyronn Lue confirmed that Leonard will be in the starting lineup during his pregame press conference.

The Clippers initially announced Leonard would be out due to “right knee injury recovery’ on the team’s Friday evening injury report but his status was upgraded to questionable hours later.

“Just making sure we are taking it slow,” Lue said about Leonard’s availability as he makes his return to the court. “This is like his preseason and his training camp because he didn’t have that.”

Leonard is expected to be on a minutes restriction against the Hawks but Lue did not want to commit publicly to an exact number.

The six-time All-Star was spotted during pregame warmups taking shots as fans began filing into the arena.

Leonard missed the first 34 games of the season but the Clippers managed to produce a 19-15 record in his absence behind the efforts of James Harden and Norman Powell.

Leonard was a full-contact participant for Clippers’ practices starting Dec. 18, which fueled speculation that the two-time Defensive Player of the Year was close to making a return. The San Diego State alum spent the last few days working with the team’s G League affiliate in San Diego and participating in 5-on-5 scrimmages.

During the Clippers’ media day session in September, Leonard consistently told reporters that he hoped to remain healthy enough to have a run in the playoffs. He signed a three-year, $153 million deal in January and felt he was coming off a ‘good’ season in 2023-24.

He averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 68 games last season, the most he has played since playing a career-high 74 games during the 2016-17 season. Leonard was limited to 52 games throughout the 2022-23 season and missed the 2021-22 season due to an ACL injury.

In one sense, the playoffs have already begun for the Denver Broncos.

Win and they’re in. Lose and it is sudden death.

That’s the essence of playoff football. The end of the season is on the line.

Then again, when the Broncos (9-7) host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday with the chance to clinch the final wild-card berth in the AFC playoffs, there’s a key reason why the matchup falls so short of a virtual postseason matchup: Both teams don’t have to win.

I mean, the Chiefs (15-1) won’t be playing with Patrick Mahomes.

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What a break for the Broncos. Chiefs coach Andy Reid, with the No. 1 seed locked up, will rest Mahomes and other key players. Maybe in a weird way, Denver is owed such a favor from the Department of Karma. In Week 10, when Mahomes was on the field, the Broncos nearly upset the Chiefs on their own turf, except that Leo Chenel blocked a Will Lutz field goal attempt as time expired.

Talk about a trap game.

It’s too bad it’s come down to this for Sean Payton & Co. For the third consecutive week, the Broncos have a shot at clinching a playoff berth. And for the third straight week they can try finishing strong and saving face. Lately, that has not been Denver’s forte. And now it might prove to perfectly symbolize a season that has come with bright spots including rookie quarterback Bo Nix and a defense that leads the NFL with a franchise-record 56 sacks but has been undermined by faulty finishes.

They blew an 11-point second half lead in falling at the L.A. Chargers in Week 16, then last weekend lost in overtime at Cincinnati, when they didn’t make a single first down on two OT possessions.

Blow it on Sunday (with the Bengals and Dolphins looking for their own breaks) and the Broncos will walk off as one of the NFL’s biggest collapses in recent seasons.

Of course, it starts at the top. Payton, in his second season as Broncos coach, has changed the culture as promised. After kicking Russell Wilson to the curb, his first-round selection of Nix and the development of the rookie has been more impressive when considering the Broncos have the NFL’s longest active streak, 33 games, without a 100-yard rusher. He has Denver in position to claim the franchise’s first playoff berth in nine seasons, since it capped the 2015 campaign by winning Super Bowl 50.

Yet Payton might have already clinched that playoff berth if he had elected to go for two at the end of regulation, rather than playing for overtime and kicking a PAT.

Sure, in hindsight, it’s easy to second-guess his decision. He has, too.

“Based on the outcome, you always second-guess,” Payton said during a press conference this week. “I know I kind of felt I trusted my gut in that moment.”

Think of what happened to set up the decision. Nix escaped a sack and heaved a prayer on fourth down that Mims snagged between two Bengals defenders. The too-close-to-call instant replay decision came back in Denver’s favor.

If there was anytime for Payton to press his luck (or assert his genius), that was it.

But his gut wouldn’t let him do it? Go figure. The conservative PAT decision came from a man who pulled off one of the gutsiest calls in Super Bowl history in calling for an onside kick to open the second half of the New Orleans Saints win against Peyton Manning the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl 44.

Sure, he played last week with a rookie quarterback who has thrown six interceptions in the past four games. But a week after being so aggressive in losing against the Chargers, the flip in Payton’s crunch time strategy was baffling.

By going for the two points, Payton would have given his team a chance for what could have essentially been a walk-off win, without putting the ball back in the hands of the red-hot Joe Burrow. As it turned out, they still lost.

Now what? At least Payton and his team have another week to claim a playoff berth – or else. He talked this week about the big sign players see each time they enter the locker room at the Broncos headquarters. It reads: Keep Fighting.

“I like the grit on this team,” Payton said.

Well, here’s another message that I’m guessing, with next week not promised, Payton will embrace as their leader.

No guts, no glory.

NBC’s Team?

Since the end of the 2022 season, when they drew a spicy (and pivotal) Week 18 matchup at Lambeau Field in the NFL’s regular season finale, the Detroit Lions are poised for their seventh appearance on NBC for a key primetime matchup on “Sunday Night Football” or a playoff game.

That’s a nugget that Lions fans can appreciate, but it can easily be overlooked amid the historic ramifications of the matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, when the two 14-2 teams meet with the most victories ever (28) for a regular-season game.

From 2006 (when NBC returned to broadcasting the NFL) to 2022, Detroit had just nine such showcase games. Now the Lions are about to get a seventh showing in 38 games.

And it might be a good omen: In six games under Dan Campbell broadcast by NBC, the Lions are 6-0.

Quick slants

Odd, but true: Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is the first player in NFL history to post at least 14 sacks in four consecutive seasons. Ironically, he’s never led the league in sacks. Garrett heads into the finale at Baltimore tied with Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson for the NFL lead.

Lamar Jackson and Sam Darnold: Both head into Week 18 one game shy of matching the NFL record that Aaron Rodgers set in 2020 with 14 games with a 100 passer rating or better. Jackson, the Ravens star, had an NFL-best 121.6 rating through 17 weeks, while Darnold’s revival with the Minnesota Vikings is also marked by a 106.4 clip that is fifth in the league. Rodgers, by the way, ranks 20th with an 89.1 rating that is his lowest for a season since he became a starter in 2008.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers has been ruled out of Saturday’s clash with the Cleveland Browns after suffering a knee injury during the second quarter.

The second-year receiver had caught a short pass from quarterback Lamar Jackson and ran down to the Cleveland 12-yard line. After he was already on the ground, Flowers appeared to get hit on the inside of his knee by a falling Browns defender. The receiver remained down and grabbed at his knee, rocking back and forth in apparent pain.

Baltimore’s medical personnel tended to the receiver on the field before he walked off under his own power and headed to the blue medical tent.

Flowers eventually headed back to the locker room, and the Ravens announced he was questionable to return.

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What happened to Zay Flowers?

Flowers had to head to the locker room in the second quarter of the Ravens’ game against the Browns in Week 18 after suffering a knee injury.

The 24-year-old made a catch for a 12-yard gain before stumbling to the ground inside the red zone. After Flowers was down, a falling Browns defender’s knee made contact with the inside of Flowers’ right knee. The wideout remained on the ground after the tackle and grabbed at his knee.

He got attention from the Ravens’ medical staff, who briefly evaluated him in the blue medical tent on the sideline before sending Flowers back to the locker room.

Zay Flowers injury updates

Near the start of the third quarter, the Ravens announced that Flowers had been downgraded to out for the rest of the game.

Shortly after Flowers returned to the locker room, the Ravens had declared him questionable to return to the game with a knee injury.

After the game, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Flowers would have an MRI on Sunday morning.

‘It’s something that he has a chance to be OK with,’ Harbaugh said.

This story has been updated with new information.