Cincinnati Bengals postgame wrap following win over Arizona Cardinals
Enquirer beat reporter Kelsey Conway breaks down the Bengals win over the Cardinals on Dec. 28.
The Cincinnati Bengals once again showed how good their offense can be when at full strength in their 37-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals at Paycor Stadium on Dec. 28.
For two years in a row, pundits and NFL spectators will watch the postseason wondering what could have been if the Bengals found a way to make it into the playoffs. Cincinnati was eliminated from postseason contention after it was shut out at home by the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 14.
They have one game to play this season and then the focus will shift to a critical offseason for the franchise. They must turn over every stone to figure out how to fix the defense for a second year in a row and how to build a better roster that supports franchise quarterback Joe Burrow and his weapons.
It’s no longer just the Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Burrow show for the Bengals. Add Chase Brown to the group, and Cincinnati now has arguably the best collection of skill players in the NFL.
Brown and Chase proved it in Week 17 against the Cardinals.
Ja’Marr Chase continues to show his greatness, sets and NFL record
The accolades keep coming for Chase. Earlier this week, he was named to his fifth Pro Bowl in five seasons in the NFL. He’s become one of the most consistent, talented players the NFL has ever seen.
Chase found his way back into the end zone Dec. 28, scoring two touchdowns against the Cardinals. It had been months since Chase found the end zone as he last scored a touchdown Oct. 16 in Cincinnati’s win over Pittsburgh.
“I didn’t even realize he was in a touchdown drought,” Burrow said. “He’s the same guy every day.”
In addition to scoring twice against Arizona, Chase finished with seven catches on nine targets for 60 yards. He is now the first player in NFL history with at least 80 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and seven touchdown receptions in each of his first five seasons.
“It’s a blessing,” Chase said of this particular milestone.
Chase Brown puts NFL on notice as a budding star
One of the bright spots in the Bengals’ lost season has been the emergence of Brown.
Heading into the season, expectations were high for Brown after a strong finish to the 2024 season.
But the start of the season didn’t go as planned for Brown or the Bengals’ rushing attack. Cincinnati had one of the worst rushing offenses in the NFL through the first quarter of the season. Brown had just 133 yards on 57 carries and one touchdown through the first four games.
Brown pushed himself harder and never changed his expectations. No one inside the Bengals’ facility did either. Everyone who works beside Brown notices his work ethic, and he’s seeing it pay off in ways he couldn’t have predicted.
“I think I just started off this season really slow, and (it) took some time for us to figure out,” Brown said.
The 25-year-old running back rushed for 101 yards in Cincinnati’s win over Arizona and scored two touchdowns. For the second straight season, Brown scored at least 10 touchdowns. He’s totaled five in the past two games.
Brown said he is pleased with how he’s played recently, and his individual performance is helping him find joy in a tough season for the Bengals.
“It’s been really fun finding a flow here and just making guys missing in space,” Chase said. “I’ve been having a lot of fun the last − I don’t know how long it’s been − like 10 weeks, so it’s been good.”
The Bengals could opt to give Brown an extension this offseason. He’s under contract through the 2026 season. Typically, if an NFL team wants to keep a player long-term, it prefers to pay the player ahead of the final year of his contract. It will be one of the bigger decisions the franchise makes this offseason.
Brown is close to reaching 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career. He was close in 2024 with 990 rushing yards and is 53 yards shy this year with one game to go.
If Brown reaches the milestone, it won’t come as a surprise. He’s only in his third season in the NFL, and has already become a role model in the Bengals’ locker room.
“Chase is such a special player, and we know that we’re very fortunate to have him here with us,” offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. said. “But, man, he’s just a guy that works his (expletive) off. He’s one of the first guys in the building every day. He practices really hard. He goes really hard on the walk through. His attention to detail is special. And I mean, by no surprise, he’s making these plays, and we’ve seen it. We see it year round.”