CINCINNATI — So why?
Why would Ja’Marr Chase – without hesitation – offer the Chiefs bulletin board material in a 12-minute session with reporters Thursday in front of his locker?
The answer is really quite simple. He loves it.
The Bengals star wide receiver knows the Chiefs and their star defensive players, namely linebacker Willie Gay Jr. and Chris Jones, love to talk, both on the field and off.
“Hell yeah. They talk the most (crap). That’s why. I love it,” Chase said. “They do.”
So when asked what stands out about the Chiefs defense Thursday, Chase didn’t hesitate.
“If I’m being honest, nothing,” Chase said. “They just know how to play us. They know the leverages. They know what (receiver) splits we’re in. They just know what we going to do at certain moments. They throw a little double-doubles at us to stop the two best players on our side and that’s all they do. I mean, it’s not really like they got a Jalen Ramsey on their squad. So, not much.
“Yeah, we know what we’re capable of. Everyone in the league does. That’s why KC doubles us the way they do.”
“They talk the most shit, that’s why. I love it.” Ja’Marr Chase on why he loves going after Chiefs with smack talk pic.twitter.com/i1RP5M1hNA
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 28, 2023
Asked if he understood how this could be interpreted, Chase didn’t back down.
“They can take it how they want,” Chase said. “I don’t care. At the end of the day, there’s only so much that I can do myself. It’s not like I’m Ironman. I can’t throw the football to myself and I’m saying like it’s a team sport at the end of the day. It’s just I know what I see on paper. I know I see you in-game. That’s why they double everybody because it can’t do it one-on-one.
“The best player (in secondary) is (L’Jarius) Sneed. That’s a fact everybody knows that. That’s why they double-double everything they see. What? they just drafted two new corners that’s longer. They’re trying to match Sneed. That’s why Sneed is at corner now. I already know it. I’m not bugged about it. They know I’m good. They know how to play us. That’s what it is, but it’s not like they got a superstar on their defense.”
And what about the injured safety Bryan Cook?
“I can’t remember. Is that number 6? I don’t know. He’s just a guy to me. He ain’t no Jessie Bates to me. You want me to go comparisons? They’re not the same. Just saying.”
“I’m just adding fire to the fuel right now. They’re going going to take this wrong with it. I hope they put it in a locker but as long as I’m mentally ready to play, I got to be.”
Was this all by design?
“I don’t know. I love it,” Chase said.
Chase had an edge Thursday. There was a clear tone of agitation with the receiver and he just wanted to get it off his chest.
“Yeah,” Chase told me. “I wish I could say (why). Wish I could say but I can’t say. I don’t know, man. Some days I wake up pissed off. So today is one of them.”
Ja’Marr Chase didn’t back track at all when asked about his assessment of Chiefs defense. “They can take it how they want. I don’t care. … I’m not Ironman. I can’t throw the ball to myself. It’s a team sport.” pic.twitter.com/KmnaKIcLYe
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 28, 2023
Chase was officially limited in practice Thursday after not practicing but observing and working on the rehab field on Wednesday.
“I’m still taking it day by day,” Chase said after practicing on Thursday. “It’s really just is up to me for making that decision. So it’s whether or not how I feel is just me on making my decision and gotta be in the right mindset to play.
“At this point, it’s just getting myself mentally ready to play.”
In other words, Chase has to feel that his right shoulder isn’t going to hinder his ability to catch passes, especially where he has to raise he hands well above his shoulders.
Chase also confirmed he was injured on a hit from Ivan Pace Jr., who landed on his right shoulder on the third-and-21 play against Minnesota.
“I tried to protect myself as I fell and (Pace) fell on my shoulder and I think the linebacker jumped right on like right on top of my arm, and that’s when I felt my arm do whatever it did.”
Chase would not put a percentage on how he felt after Thursday’s practice.
“I was a little sore but I was moving it, getting used to doing all these motions really the biggest thing for me,” Chase said. “So, I’ll just constantly get it moving and make sure I don’t lock up or nothing.”
With the College Football Playoff semifinals set for Monday at the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl, Tee Higgins Thursday referred to the college environment that he played at in his time at Clemson. Higgins, who didn’t quite demonstrate the animosity toward the Chiefs that his fellow star receiver did, said he is looking forward to the game in one of football’s best environments.
“It’s always fun playing against these guys,” Higgins said. “It’s always a challenge, especially playing out there at Arrowhead. Playing out there feels like a college game, just how how their fans are dialed in. No doubt they’re into it, when they do the Tomahawk chop, or just third down when it’s loud, that that type of feeling gives you chills, it’s like you are in college all over again, so definitely it’s a big game.”
“Playing out there feels like a college game” Tee Higgins who ran a different route so to speak praising the Chiefs, the Arrowhead environment and their fans pic.twitter.com/gVoBHr1kNU
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 29, 2023
Higgins says the Bengals aren’t feeling the pressure this week, despite the fact that a loss would likely end all realistic hope of a playoff berth.
“Nah, you can’t feel like that. You’ve got to go out there and just be relaxed and play your game. Obviously, everyone in the building knows what’s at stake. You can’t let that get to our heads and throw us off our game and try to more than what we can.”
Tee Higgins says Bengals-Chiefs always mean great games pic.twitter.com/ihuypzHr9f
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 28, 2023
While Chase returned to practice, another good sign for the Bengals was the fact that Cam Taylor-Britt fully participating for a second straight day as he has been cleared to practice in his final days on IR. Assuming no setbacks, Taylor-Britt will be activated off IR (from his ankle injury) and start Sunday in Kansas City. Mitchell Wilcox suffered a foot injury during practice on Thursday and was limited. He has been an underrated piece of the Bengals offense all season, as well as a key contributor on special teams. For the Chiefs, L’Jarius Sneed, the player Chase called the best in the secondary, did not practice for a second straight day due to calf injury.
