The news of Joe Burrow starting his practice window from the injured reserve list should have given hope to the Cincinnati Bengals. However, their performance throughout the season has left a lot to be desired, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
This week, in a pivotal divisional matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the story seemed to be the same. Trailing at halftime, the offense was uninspiring. This time, though, the offense hadn’t come to the party either, with a particularly rough showing from superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
What Happened to Ja’Marr Chase?
Without his starting quarterback in the lineup, the numbers for Chase had taken a significant hit this year. The Triple Crown winner last year, not having Burrow for more than a game and a half, had taken a toll on Chase’s production.
Matters were made worse by the abysmal play from Jake Browning before a trade to bring in Joe Flacco breathed new life into the offense. It immediately led to an increase in productivity from Chase, who began to look like his former self again.
However, facing the Steelers, it was an underwhelming first half for the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. Targeted five times, including some throwaways from Flacco, he was able to hold onto just one catch for nine yards.
In the second half, too, he wasn’t able to make much of an impact. Even though the Steelers were without Aaron Rodgers for a large chunk of the period, Chase was unable to get going.
Instead, he finished the night with just three catches for 30 yards, as Pittsburgh dominated en route to a 34-12 victory. However, the biggest development of the game came early in the fourth quarter.
Frustrated by his lack of performance, the superstar wide receiver got into it with the Steelers’ defense. The biggest source of his vitriol was an offseason acquisition for them in Jalen Ramsey.
Ja’Marr Chase and Jalen Ramsey with some pushing and shoving pic.twitter.com/UDwrA6Ji2p
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 16, 2025
As the two continued their fight, it ultimately resulted in the veteran cornerback throwing a punch at Chase. Later on, he claimed that the wide receiver had spat at him, prompting the explosive reaction.