It doesn’t matter who’s throwing him the football -- Ja'Marr Chase is a problem.
Whether it’s Joe Flacco or Jake Browning under center for Cincinnati in Week 9, the Bengals’ best shot to knock off the Bears rests in the hands of one of the most dominant wide receivers in football.
Chase has been everything you’d expect from a former top-five pick and more: explosive, precise, relentless, and unguardable when he gets into rhythm.
And with Chicago’s secondary gutted by injuries to Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, the opportunity for Chase to completely take over the ballgame is right in front of him.
Ja'Marr Chase is backing up Triple Crown season with elite production sans Joe Burrow
Through eight weeks, Chase has already produced numbers that would make an entire season for most receivers -- 97 targets, 70 catches, 720 yards, and five touchdowns.
He’s been on a tear lately, with four touchdowns in his last four games, dominating secondaries regardless of coverage looks or quarterback play. The chemistry that once existed with Joe Burrow was special, but what’s become clear this fall is that Chase’s greatness transcends the system and the passer.
He’s been open, productive, and dangerous no matter who’s delivering the ball.
Just look at his last month of football. In Week 7 against Pittsburgh, Chase erupted for 16 receptions on 23 targets for 161 yards and a score -- a masterclass in route running and spatial awareness. The week before, at Lambeau Field, he torched the Packers with 10 catches on 12 targets for 94 yards and a touchdown. Week 5 against Detroit? Another 110 yards and two touchdowns on just six catches. Or how about earlier in the year against Jacksonville where he went nuclear again amassing 14 receptions, 165 yards, and a trip to paydirt.
Every defense knows what’s coming. Yet no one can stop it.
What makes Chase such a matchup nightmare is his completeness as a receiver. He’s not just fast or physical -- he’s the rare blend of both. He can overpower smaller corners after the catch, using his compact frame and balance to shrug off tackles, or he can separate cleanly with sharp breaks and elite short-area quickness.
He wins at all three levels -- slants and digs underneath, comebacks and outs in the intermediate range, and go routes and posts that stretch the field vertically. His ability to play through contact, track the ball deep, and finish in traffic is the kind of all-around dominance that defines true No. 1 wideouts.
This week, Chase is likely to see plenty of Tyrique Stevenson and Nahshon Wright on the outside --both physical corners, but both still young and prone to missteps in transition. Without Johnson and Gordon, Chicago lacks a proven matchup piece who can at least disrupt the timing of Chase one-on-one.
Expect Cincinnati to test it immediately. Quick screens, option routes, and vertical shots -- anything to get Chase in space or isolated downfield.
The Bengals may not have their franchise quarterback right now, but Chase gives them a chance every single week. His presence alone shifts coverages, dictates safety help, and opens up the rest of the offense for guys like Tee Higgins and Andrei Iosivas. And if the Bears decide to play him straight up without rolling extra help, it could turn into another highlight-filled afternoon for No. 1.
In a season where Cincinnati’s had to battle adversity from the jump, Chase has been the constant -- the one weapon who can erase mistakes, elevate quarterbacks, and swing games. The Bears have to find a way to keep him in front of them, because once he finds his rhythm early, there’s going to be a whole lot of corners seeing the back of his jersey on tape.