CHATTERING CHASE

The New Orleans-bred Chase is preparing for the cold with his world-famous “Warm Skin.”

“Besides a handwarmer, I put on some ‘Warm Skin.’ I try not to put too much on because Joe (is) going to scream at me,” said Chase, recalling a rather chilly game at Ole Miss when they were at LSU. “It’s like cream or lotion we put on to keep us warm.”

On this particular day, it made Burrow hot.

“I don’t think the game started. I was walking toward the field, and I think I bumped him, or he must have seen me,” Chase said. “(It was) shiny-shiny, and he touched me and was like, ‘What’s that?’ I was like, ‘It’s some stuff.’ He’s like, ‘Bro, take it off.’ I’m like, ‘What?’ He’s like, ‘Bro, I’m not throwing you the ball if you’ve got it on.’

“I just took it off right there, so, it was cool.”

He’s worn it in the coolest games here, he says. New England (“Run the ball, let’s get out of here. Run the ball, let’s get out of here, man, you know?”), as well as in Kansas City. But not in the snow in Buffalo in the 2022 AFC Divisional.

“I think I was excited it was snowing, so I think I just wanted to feel snow,” Chase said.

Footnote; The Bengals froze the Bills, 27-10, in the 32-degree snow with Chase catching a 28-yard touchdown pass as Burrow racked up a 101.9 passer rating.

Chase says he’ll break out the “Warm Skin,” “When I can see my breath.”

STRETCH RUN

Last month, Burrow said they had to win 10 games to make the playoffs. On Wednesday, Burrow said he was done making any projections at 4-7.

“We’re not out of it yet. We’re not out of it yet, so it’s going to take a lot for us to get in, but at this point, just focus on what you can focus on,” Burrow said. “Control what you can control, and that’s trying to get better every week. Putting great stuff out there on tape, week in and week out. That’s what I’m focused on doing.

“I’m not worried about the playoffs at this point. I’m worried about trying to play my best, be as consistent as I can, get our offense to an even higher level and continue to create big plays, put points on the board. I’m just focused on trying to be the best that I could be.”

MAC TAKE

Bengals special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons doesn’t need a bye week to do a deep dive, but there was one coming after Evan McPherson missed two field-goal tries in the fourth quarter in the last game, including his fourth straight from 50-plus yards.

Both dipped wide left, as have five of his six misses this year. But Simmons doesn’t see a connection.

“I looked at every practice kick because usually what happens in practice happens in the games and there is really no correlation,” Simmons said before Wednesday’s practice. “He has had about the same amount of misses to the right off the right hash as he does off the left hash and the left or vice versa. It’s not like of the 20 kicks he’s missed since training camp started, 15 of them left and five of them right. It’s damn near right down the middle from both hashes. So I don’t have a great answer for that.”

Simmons believes he may have found a better answer in the operation with long snapper Cal Adomitis and holder Ryan Rehkow. Not that the operation has been bad (and Simmons says the snaps and holds against the Chargers were fine), it’s just that all three players need much more time on task to make it more and more natural. The three have been working together full-time since late in training camp, but it’s apparently not long enough yet.

“It’s something that has to become more habit. It’s like a rookie receiver running a route,” Simmons said. “It’s supposed to be a 10-yard out. One time he runs it eight. Next time runs at 11, and you’re expecting it to be a 10, and it’s going to be a 10, it’s got to be a 10. And you don’t develop the level of comfort and trust until it happens a 10 time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time again.

“And that’s what these guys have to do, is they have to develop that, and they will get there. No doubt in my mind. It’s just taking longer than what I thought.”

SLANTS AND SCREENS

Chase was all smiles after his meeting with NBA great Steph Curry over the bye, and Warriors teammate Draymond Green helped Chase get a jersey. Chase met Green during his fashion shoot in Paris over the summer, and they’ve hit it off.

“We talked for a little bit just admiring each other’s game. There weren’t too many words said,” Chase said of Curry. “Just means that he has a lot of respect for me. I’ve gone a long way and just need to keep going. He just told me I’m balling right now. I won’t say what Draymond said, but he just said I’m balling right now.” …

Burrow also got kudos from the NBA over the bye. Kevin Durant said in an interview, “If I had to take anybody, I’m taking the Bengals. I just trust Joe Burrow more than anybody else.”

Burrow says he’s known Durant for a couple of years.

“He’s become a friend. I always enjoy seeing him, hanging out with him. We watched a couple of UFC fights together a couple of years ago,” Burrow said. “It’s always good to see him talk about your process, your greatness, and everything in between. So I’ve gathered a lot of information and gained a friend.” …

Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who has missed the last three games with a leg issue, went limited Wednesday and head coach Zac Taylor said he feels good about him …

Linebacker Logan Wilson (knee), who hasn’t missed a game in 37 straight dating back to Oct. 23, 2022, didn’t work Wednesday …

Neither did defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, still felled by the virus that took him out of the Nov. 17 game …