In this week's edition of Thursday Night Football, fans got an instant classic. The only problem was, it ended in heartbreat for the Cincinnati Bengals.
This one went back and forth with each team making their share of runs. The Bengals would go up 21-7 before surrendering the lead in the second half, and late in the game with just seconds to go, a bold decision to go for two would decide the Bengals' fate. Zac Taylor made the gutsy call, and the Bengals failed to convert, which ultimately sealed the 35-34 loss.
Now, there are many angles in this one to cover, notably some missed calls there at the end which could have changed the game.
One of night's biggest stories, though, was the performance put on by wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase. It was an absolutely epic night for the star wideout. Chase was running circles around the Ravens defense en route to what ended up being one of the biggest games of his entire career.
Chase caught 11 of 17 targets for 264 yards and three touchdowns. He made a living making fools of the Ravens' entire defense and, had the Bengals won, this topic would be covered in a much more positive light. Yet, the effort from Chase felt wasted. The Bengals lost, dropping to 4-6.
Interestingly enough, after the game, Chase's agent decided to weigh in on the performance from her client.
Ja'Marr Chase's agent weighs in. https://t.co/DofNNEmiBk
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) November 8, 2024
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With a response like this one -- "he keeps making my job easier" -- one can only wonder what the Bengals have in store for future contract talks.
Ja'Marr Chase's future contract price just went up
Chase is playing incredible football this year. He looks like the best wide receiver in the game, especially after a performance like this one. The fact the Bengals were unable to come to an agreement on a long-term extension prior to the season now looks even worse.
His contract situation has been well-documented, from Chase deciding to sit out practices and folks speculating over just how much money he wants (Justin Jefferson money, or more?).
The fact of the matter is, the wide receiver market is only going to explode even further. Based on the deals we saw this past offseason and the salary cap continuing to rise, Chase is in line to be paid as the league's top wide receiver, no question.
Jefferson is just as good and deserves top dollar, as well, but timing is everything. Chase knew what he wanted and didn't agree to anything less, and now, it looks like the Bengals are going to be forced to pay up when the time comes.
His agent knows these are the facts, and it might come across as a joke, but the truth of the matter is, Chase is certainly making her job much, much easier with performances like these.