It was always going to be an uphill battle for the Cincinnati Bengals after Joe Burrow was declared out for at least three months with a Grade-3 turf toe injury. In his absence, backup quarterback Jake Browning had to take care of the offense.
But his production has been wildly inconsistent this year, with the game against the Denver Broncos another prime example of that end. His play has affected the production of the players around him as well, with superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase taking the biggest hit.
What Happened to Ja’Marr Chase?
Fresh off signing a contract that made him the highest-paid wide receiver in league history this offseason, the Bengals were hoping for another excellent season from their WR1. Last year’s Triple Crown winner, Chase, possessed game-changing ability on his own.
However, the first part of the season hasn’t gone according to plan. Apart from a game-breaking 165 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2, his numbers had been far from stellar.
Tallying 76 yards in the other two games combined, his lack of production wasn’t solely on his quarterback. But having Browning instead of Burrow certainly didn’t help matters, as their Week 4 clash against the Denver Broncos was showcasing thus far.
With the offense totaling less than 100 yards in all, the former LSU product was having another quiet night. Through the first half, as Cincinnati managed just three points, Chase had recorded three catches on four targets for just 15 yards.
Ja’Marr Chase confronts his head coach Zach Taylor and it got heated 😡
He was PISSED! pic.twitter.com/uX1EC76EPU
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) September 30, 2025
A four-year deal worth $164 million might sound like an overpay, but the former fifth overall pick had earned his stature as one of, if not the best, wide receiver in the entire league.
A Pro Bowler in each of his four seasons in the league, his career averages for a season were over 1,300 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns, which is what made his declined production this year such a shocker.
Unfortunately, his production did not see an uptick in the second half either. Instead, things got worse for Chase. As the Bengals were completely shut out in the period and ended the game with just three points on the scoreboard, the offense finished with 159 total yards.
Chase, on his end, recorded two more catches on four targets, adding another eight yards, to bring his total to five receptions, eight targets, and 23 receiving yards on the night. It was the fourth-lowest total of his career.
Coincidentally, his worst outing as an NFL star, a three-yard game back in 2021, also came against the Broncos in a game Cincinnati won 15-10.
