While the Cincinnati Bengals cling to playoff hopes, their star pass rusher got a nice boost from a former teammate. Also, star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase issued an honest All-Pro claim, according to a post on X by Mike Petraglia.
“I should already be All-Pro.” Ja’Marr Chase on whether last 2 games should determine his All-Pro status.
Well, that’s nicely said. And extremely true. The dude can play.
Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase having great season
Chase said he’s not worried about winning the triple crown among receivers, leading in receptions, yards, and touchdowns.
“I gotta worry about winning the game,” Chase said. “Be in the playoffs. Me winning the Triple Crown is not putting money in my pocket. Me making the playoffs will put some money in my pocket.”
Chase has 108 receptions on the season. That’s seven more than CeeDee Lamb, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and, perhaps surprisingly, rookie tight Brock Bowers. Chase’s total of 1,510 yards is 123 ahead of Justin Jefferson with nobody else in the picture. And his 16 scores are four ahead of Terry McLaurin.
Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams turned in the most recent triple-crown season in 2021. The only other receivers to do it in the Super Bowl era were Lance Alworth (1966), Jerry Rice (1990), Sterling Sharpe (1992), and Steve Smith Jr. (2005).
Bengals feed the ball to Ja’Marr Chase
Give Bengals head coach Zac Taylor credit for recognizing Chase’s talents. He said the team knows what can happen when Chase gets the ball, according to nfl.com.
“We just can’t give him the ball enough,” Taylor said after Chase’s final catch snapped the Bengals’ three-game losing streak against the Cowboys. “We got it to him 14 times and it feels like you could still try to get it to him more and we did. In some of those moments, sometimes you just try to keep it simple and give playmakers the ball and it paid out for us.”
Quarterback Joe Burrow recognizes the talent and uses it.
“He’s a special player,” said Burrow, lauding his teammate and endorsing him for a new, lucrative contract. “He continues to make plays after the catch, before the catch. Any way that you get him the ball, he makes plays. He deserves all he’s gonna get and more.”
