The Cincinnati Bengals dug themselves quite a hole to start the 2023 season, losing three of their first four games. They’ve since come storming back, going 4-0 since then, including wins over the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, and Buffalo Bills.
But the availability of one of their key players in that surge is unclear for next week’s game against the rising Houston Texans. Pro Bowl WR Ja’Marr Chase went down with a back injury on Sunday. Head coach Zac Taylor told reporters on Monday that it was “impossible” to determine at this time if he would be good to go for next Sunday’s game.
Over the course of their four-game winning streak, Chase has been playing at the level that has earned him all his accolades throughout his career. He has 35 receptions during that span for 413 yards and four touchdowns. He only caught four of eight passes for 41 yards against the Bills, however.
Cincinnati’s slow start can be attributed primarily to QB Joe Burrow’s calf injury suffering during the preseason. It took him some time to play his way back into form. There were even questions of his readiness to start the season, but he has managed to avoid missing time even after aggravating the injury.
Over the first four weeks of the season, he only completed 87-of-151 passes for 728 yards with two touchdown passes and two interceptions. In the past four games during their win streak, he has been a completely different player. Since then, he has completed 119-of-157 passes for 1,133 yards with 10 touchdowns to two interceptions.
A lot of that yardage, of course, went to Chase, as did a good chunk of his touchdown tosses. While the Bengals have Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd at wide receiver, it would be tough to be without Chase, especially as they continue to establish themselves in 2023 after their terrible start to the season.
Up next on the schedule is the Texans, as mentioned, boasting a stellar rookie quarterback in C.J. Stroud. The second-overall pick has tossed 14 touchdowns to just one interception so far in eight starts, getting a rebuilding team off to a 4-4 record, including 4-2 in their last six games.
“I’m just going to support my teammates”, Chase told reporters regarding his injury status moving into the heart of the week. “Let those guys do what they got to do. Only thing I can do is get healthy for the team and try my best”.
No other player on the roster has been half as productive as Chase thus far. Higgins has caught 27 passes to Chase’s 64 for 328 yards against 697. He also has half as many touchdowns as Chase’s four. Boyd has 36 receptions for 300 yards and two scores. Even combined they don’t match his numbers.
