Bengals star receiver Ja’Marr Chase got rocked in the first half of Sunday’s game against the Jaguars and has been ruled out for the rest of the contest with a concussion. This is a massive blow for Cincinnati, who were already struggling to keep pace.
The Brutal Hit That Took Him Out
Chase went down hard in the second quarter after what looked like a nasty sequence. Jarrian Jones twisted his facemask and then Ventrell Miller came in with a crushing hit. Jones caught a penalty flag for the facemask, but unbelievably, Miller didn’t get flagged for using the crown of his helmet. Chase was on the ground for a bit, being checked out by the medical staff, but he did eventually walk off under his own power. He went into the blue tent, then headed to the locker room with a towel over his head, initially questionable, but ultimately out for good.
Big Shoes To Fill Immediately
This isn’t just any receiver getting knocked out. Chase is a Pro Bowler, and he’s been consistently elite since day one. Coming into Sunday, he had 18 catches for 185 yards and three touchdowns through just three games this season. Last week, he was on fire with 9 receptions on 12 targets for 98 yards and a score in their 30-27 loss to the Steelers. Before the injury today, he’d already snagged all three of his targets for 26 yards. The Bengals were trailing 3-0 when he went down, and while they managed a game-tying field goal by Evan McPherson to end that drive, they still found themselves down 13-3 by halftime. Losing a weapon like Chase for even a half is a huge problem.
Cincinnati’s offense has a big hole to fill, right now. Down by ten points at halftime, they’re going to need someone else to step up in a major way without their star pass-catcher.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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