Steelers Broke Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase; He Feels Off-Kilter And In An Unexpected Place After Loss

The Pittsburgh Steelers fired much-maligned Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada after the devasting divisional loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 11. This seemed to breathe new life into the offense. They appeared crisper and more motivated as they matched up against the Cincinnati Bengals the following week. While it was far from a perfect game, they won 16-10 and advanced to second place in the AFC North behind the Baltimore Ravens. In addition, they delivered a crushing blow to the Bengals, who are now 0-4 in divisional matchups and 5-6 overall. Now Bengals star wide receiver, Ja'Marr Chase, who had plenty to say before the game, sounds like the Steelers may have broken him (along with Cincy's playoff hopes).  

There are pretty much two kinds of players in the NFL. Those who talk trash endlessly, unconcerned with how it might rile up their opponents, and those who let their on-field gameplay speak for them. Chase is the former. He is always keen to talk trash. He told the media he was confident in his team's ability to win and make the playoffs, despite being 5-5 before the game and losing to a "bunch of elves" (meaning the Browns) earlier in the season.  

He told the media to "wait for the show" against the Steelers' secondary. Chase acknowledged that the Bengals' only way to the playoffs, in the Joe Burrow-less situation they are in, is to win both games against the Steelers. After the loss, the media spoke to a very salty-sounding Chase in the locker room. He was asked how he feels about the Steelers keeping the Bengals winless in the division. 

"I don't know, it's my first time feeling like this, so I really don't know how this is going to go," said a defeated-sounding Chase.

Chase was held to only four receptions, two of which were tipped by Steelers defenders, for 81 yards and no touchdowns. He jumped up and flexed on Steelers rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. after grabbing a 25-yard pass down the sideline. Porter had said before the game that he expected to be Chase's shadow all day and he was. 

Porter is quickly earning the right to call himself a "shutdown corner" in a very competitive league and on a defense full of strong veteran players. Chase is in his third season and was named to the Pro Bowl for his first two. Coming into the Steelers game, he was considered among the top 10 receivers in the league in yards, receptions, and touchdowns.  

Steelers Had Ja'Marr Chase's Number All Day

It wasn't just Porter who seemed to be able to outperform Chase that day. Other Steelers defenders got in on the action including newbie Trenton Thompson. Thompson, a defensive back, who was just elevated to the 53-man roster earlier this month, came up with a huge interception on a pass intended for Chase.  

Chase was also asked about what happened on that interception by the media. While he credited Thompson for making a good play, he downplayed the fact that the defense fooled him. 

"There wasn't a real good disguise, for real, I mean I seen him, he had flat, I mean who knows," said an apparently annoyed Chase.

Quarterback Jake Browning, who was filling in for the injured Burrow, had 19 completions on 26 attempts, one touchdown, and one interception. His quarterback rating for the day was 22.5. The Steelers were finally able to outgain an opponent in every statistic that matters. On top of that, their defense was able to get some rest since the Steelers also owned the time-of-possession battle by nearly 15 minutes.

While it is easy to claim that the Steelers only won because Burrow is out for the season, it doesn't matter. Wins don't come with an asterisk next to them. This feels especially true after losing to Cleveland's backup quarterback. 

What do you think about Chase's comments? Be sure to comment below!

#SteelerNation