The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Baltimore Ravens in what was their biggest win of the season thus far, and despite a performance that doesn’t jump off that stat sheet, star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase may have been the biggest reason why.
Chase’s gravity, along with his 62 receiving yards and one touchdown catch, was nothing to scoff at, but it didn't live up to the lofty expectations he set for himself with past performances against the Ravens. Instead, it was Chase's role as a leader on the team, specifically during halftime, that contributed the most to the win.
After starting down 13 points with nothing on the scoreboard, the Bengals ripped off 35 unanswered points in what was one of the most impressive and efficient halves of football in the history of the organization. The Ravens became just the third team in the history of the league to lose by 20+ points in a game where they had a lead of 13 or more points at halftime.
Ja'Marr Chase has a high price tag, but the Bengals are getting more than just a good wide receiver
According to Over the Cap, Chase has the second-largest contract for a wide receiver in the NFL, with a total value of $161 million. Only Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who won Offensive Player of the Year en route to a Super Bowl victory in 2025, has a larger contract.
As an organization investing such a high amount in one player, the hope isn't just that they will produce on the field. With a contract that is going to make them one of the highest-paid players on the team, the organization hopes that they take a place as a leader as well. Chase showed he is just that in the 35-13 win over the Ravens.
In an article from ESPN, Chase said he came into the locker room screaming at the team after the lackadaisical start.
"I came in here screaming, saying, 'Somebody's got to make a play for us, somebody got to make a play,'...And I told our offense [that] we can't look at our defense the whole time. We've got to step this s--- up and make something work. I didn't like how we played; we had [19] plays, maybe two or three possessions. And it didn't go our way at all. We had opportunities to get the ball out of our hands, and Joe was getting too much pressure."
Anyone can come in yelling at halftime, but it doesn't mean it will make a difference. The Bengals needed it to make a difference as a loss to the Ravens would've had them at 3-3 with two divisional losses, on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. In the same ESPN article, linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. explained that it did make a difference due to Chase's pedigree.
"I believe once you hear a guy like that, who's a leader on this team, speak up on the offense side of the ball, that just encourages you," Knight Jr. said.
After Chase's speech, quarterback Joe Burrow went on to have one of the most efficient halves of his career. He started with just six completions on 12 attempts, but was surgical in the second half with just two incompletions, four touchdowns and a perfect 158.3 passer rating. Wide receiver Tee Higgins also turned it around, going from zero receptions in the first half to finishing with six receptions for 148 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Moments and leadership like that are what define championship teams. Teams don't win the Super Bowl without being able to respond to adversity, and responding to adversity is difficult when there aren't leaders present to show the rest of the team the way.
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