Bengals Look to Unleash Uno
After Ja’Marr Chase was held to just two catches for 12 yards in the season opener against Tampa Bay, Bengals coaches along with quarterback Joe Burrow have vowed to get their All-Pro receiver more involved against a dynamic Texans defense.
“I’ve got to continue to find ways,” Taylor said. “Every time he gets the ball, whether it’s behind the line of scrimmage, down the field, 10 yards deep, he impacts the game. You can’t have an excuse for why, as a play caller, I don’t get him more touches.”
In Cincinnati’s last matchup against Houston, which came in Week 10 of the 2023 season, Chase caught five Burrow passes for 124 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown. A high volume of targets for Chase this week also has some historical incentive, as he is eight receptions shy of tying Carl Pickens (530) for third-most in Bengals history, and 38 receiving yards shy of matching Pickens (6,887) for fourth.
Standing in the way of a vintage Chase performance is his former LSU teammate and All-Pro Texans cornerback, Derek Stingley Jr. Last season, Stingley was one of three players in the NFL with at least four interceptions and 15 passes defensed.
“He’s a big, physical corner,” Burrow said. “He understands stems and splits, route concepts. Really, in my opinion, he has the best ball skills in the league at corner. You have to be aware of where you’re throwing it and how you’re throwing it against that guy.”