1 Week After Calling Chiefs’ Defense ‘Nothing’, Ja’Marr Chase Opens Up on Missing Playoffs For the First Time Ever

Bengals wideout Ja’Maar Chase must be kicking himself now as the Bengals are out of the playoff picture for the first time since his arrival in Ohio. Chase stepped on some toes when he called out last week’s opponent Chiefs for not having a great secondary defense, only to lose the potential season-deciding fixture.

Bengals star receiver last week said that the defending champs were only able to defeat them, as they were well acquainted with his team’s strategies. He further reiterated their secondary is nothing special, and it’s not like they have a CB like Jalen Ramsey.

After not making the playoffs, Chase talks about his future and the possibility of Higgins, Chase, and Boyd trio not being together next season because of their contract situations. Ja’Maar says not being able to qualify for the playoff gives him an extra drive and push to grind and train himself well in the off-season so that the situation like doesn’t arise again.

Despite battling with a shoulder injury, he feels like playing in the season finale because it has been a hard season for everyone and he wants to show up for his teammates because there is a chance it may be the last game for many guys on the squad and he wants to relish the opportunity to play football with them one last time. He said-

“Going through the phase we went through this year, really just gonna sit on me and this offseason just being at home myself training and finally feeling that surreal moment that I am not in playoffs for the first time, it will give me that drive and push. It’s been a hard season, I just want to show up for the guys, put my body on line and just want to give my thanks to guys who may not be here next year.”

Despite the Bengals struggling this season, Ja’Maar Chase recorded 1197 yards on 96 receptions. With a solitary game left, he can make it his first 100-reception season in his career. Even though Jake Browning has performed amicably well for a backup, things might have been different if Chase, Higgins, and Boyd all had the services of their star QB Joe Burrow.

Would Joe Burrow’s Come Back Solve Bengals Issues?

Joe Burrow’s season-ending wrist injury against the Ravens effectively dashed Cincinnati’s hope of progressing into the playoffs. Despite some commendable performances by backup Browning, he was unable to lead the team to the promised land. While getting Burrow back will undoubtedly be a significant boost for Zac Taylor’s team, questions linger about whether his return alone will suffice given the team’s lack of star personnel on the defensive front.

The offense has struggled in Burrow’s absence, compounded by injuries to key players such as Higgins, Mixon, etc. during various phases of the season. Even when the offense managed to click, the defense couldn’t hold opposing teams at bay. The outstanding offensive performances of the previous season only served to mask the underlying issues and defensive deficiencies. Now, with the offense also faltering, the Bengals find themselves in a precarious situation as their defense has plummeted.

In 2022 Bengals ranked eighth in expected points allowed per play (minus-0.045) and seventh in success rate (42.2%). However this year, their defense has taken a nosedive currently sitting at 22nd in expected points allowed per play (minus-0.001) and 30th in success rate (46.4%). The departure of Pro-Bowlers Jessie Bates, Eli Apple, and Von Bell to free agency has only compounded their defensive woes.

While the Bengals have managed to remain within the top 15 in passing games, there has been a substantial drop-off in their run game. The lack of depth and over-reliance on Mixon, have proven costly. Heading into week 17, Cincinnati ranked dead last in rushing, averaging a mere 84 yards and scoring just 11 TDs as per Fox Sports.

Ja’Maar Chase, who is in the final year of his contract anticipates securing a big deal during the off-season. With Chase poised for a big payday, the Bengals may face challenges in retaining both Higgins and Boyd. Cincinnati made Burrow the highest-paid QB before the start of this season when he signed a 5-year $275 million extension.

While the trio has proven exceptional, the team currently lacks depth beyond them.  Losing even one of these key players would be a big setback for a team with aspirations of winning the Super Bowl. They round off their season against the cross-town rivals Cleveland Browns.