The on-field presence of Ja'Marr Chase didn’t amount to success for a Cincinnati Bengals team that scored just 10 points in a surprising season-opening loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Chase, who was listed as questionable and called himself a “game-time decision” in the lead up to Sunday, suited up for the game despite the question marks, not to mention without the new contract he’s been desiring all summer, resulting in a hold-in that included limited practice time throughout the preseason.
The Bengals’ star wide receiver said “food poisoning” led to the team adding an illness designation to his game status, but he “felt ready enough” to play.
“Just wish we had more of an opportunity to make plays,” Chase said.
Chase led the team with six catches for 62 yards despite it all. He played in 40 of 48 offensive snaps, but only had those six targets all game. Asked if Sunday’s game plan was effected by his limited time on the practice field, Chase deferred the question to his head coach.
“I don’t know,” he said. “You got to ask (Bengals head coach) Zac (Taylor) on that — I don’t know.”
Zac Taylor nodded his head no when asked if that was indeed the case following the 16-10 defeat.
“Just didn’t get any great rhythm,” Taylor said of the offensive struggles. “I can’t put my finger on exactly what that was. I felt like we had a good plan, guys knew what to do.”
The Bengals went three-and-out in their first three possessions and coughed up a fumble near the goal line in the only chain-moving drive of the first half. Following another turnover on a punt return and a turnover on downs, Cincinnati’s first score of the game didn’t come until late in the third quarter.
With the Bengals defense playing well considering the offensive inefficiency there was still an opportunity to sneak a win in the fourth quarter. Down six points, Joe Burrow and Co. started a potential game-winning drive from their own 30-yard line with a little more than three minutes to play.
A three-and-out ensued after two incompletions — none of which intended for Chase — and a short pass to running back Zack Moss, and Cincinnati never saw the ball again after entrusting its defense to get the ball back with all three timeouts remaining.
Chase pointed to that last drive when asked what the most frustrating part was about the loss, but the wideout is looking forward to erasing Sunday’s disappointment next week when the Bengals go on the road to face the Kansas City Chiefs (1-0).
“We’re pros,” Chase said. “We have to forget about it and move on to the next week.”
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