The Cincinnati Bengals might be a couple of years removed from being the best team in the AFC. But ahead of Sunday's matchup against Kansas City, the back-to-back reigning conference and Super Bowl champion, wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase said the team still believed it was the team that commands the top spot.
"Everybody knows that, bro," Chase said Thursday. "It's not 'if.' We are the team to beat in the AFC. And we know it. And we gotta play like it, too."
In two of the past three years, the Cincinnati-Kansas City matchup determined who represented the AFC in the Super Bowl. Cincinnati won at Arrowhead Stadium in the 2021 playoffs to clinch the Bengals' first conference title in 33 seasons.
The next season, Kansas City hit the winning field goal with three seconds left to win the rematch in the AFC title game.
Last year, the Bengals missed the playoffs after quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury in Week 11. Cincinnati was eliminated from postseason contention after a Week 16 loss at Kansas City.
This season, the Bengals are off to a 0-1 start. Despite being a 7.5-point favorite in Week 1, Cincinnati lost to New England 16-10. With another loss Sunday, the Bengals will start the season with an 0-2 record for the fifth time in the past six seasons.
Chase dismissed the notion the Bengals need to prove they are still a championship-caliber team.
"All that noise y'all are making and stuff, we see it, we hear it," Chase said. "But we're not worried about it, you know what I'm saying? At the end of the day, it's about the team and what we're doing on the field.
"The outside people are not on the field, telling us what to do on the field. I'll let them stay outside and make their own comments."
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has won three of his four games against Kansas City. Dating to the team's regular season in 2021, Cincinnati won three straight against its rival until the loss in the AFC Championship Game during the 2022 playoffs.
Burrow, who struggled in the loss to the Patriots -- his first game since wrist surgery -- said he wasn't viewing Sunday's matchup as a measuring stick for this season's team.
"You're always trying to go out there and prove yourself to the world, to yourself, to your teammates and your coaches," Burrow said. "I'd say that about every single week."
This year's matchup will not include Kansas City cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, who has become one of Chase's top foils in recent years. But Chase still had high praise for the team's defense and coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
Chase emphasized the need to be sharp and fully prepared for whatever comes Cincinnati's way.
"They always do a good job of coming with good schemes against us," Chase said. "I feel like they were one of the best teams to scheme against us and know what we're doing."
On Wednesday, Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt made waves when he said Kansas City rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy's best -- and perhaps only -- attributes were being fast and running straight.
But that was mild compared with the barbs that have been traded by the teams over the years. Chase indicated everything that needed to be said had already been done ahead of another anticipated matchup.
"The energy's there [on] both sides," Chase said. "I'm sure they know we don't like them. They know they don't like us. So the energy's already there. There's not really much we got to say now to this point. It's been four years now, so everyone gets it."
Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase Has a Message for Receivers: Play Like You’re Good Enough to Dethrone the Chiefs
Three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has diversified his game on the field during his four seasons (note his work in the slot), and this week he flashed his growing leadership role.
"Stepping more into it," said Chase after Friday's practice of his leadership leanings.
On Thursday, he took one of those steps when he was asked if the Bengals still consider themselves a top rival to the Chiefs.
"One hundred percent. Everybody knows that, bro," Chase said. "We are the team to beat in the AFC. We have to act like it. We have to play like it, too."
Chase was just as blunt in his remarks to the receivers.
"I told the receivers you couldn't ask for a better game to bounce back," Chase said. "Both teams don't like each other. You couldn't ask for a better time to get a win. For a better time for the quarterback and receivers to play better. To play better for the offense as a whole. It's a game for us to make a mark here."
If there was ever anything lingering over the negotiations for a contract extension, the six targets for six catches on 84% of the snaps in the opener went a long way in looking ahead. Then, his actions during the week proved beyond a doubt he's trying to help get his team right for the long haul.
"That's been what of the Ja'Marr I know," said head coach Zac Taylor after Friday's practice. "This week has been great for him. I think he's done an excellent job. I appreciate the energy. It's been a good week for him."
Chase’s Growing Maturity on Display
Chase had a rep for getting pumped up during the week by trash-talking the upcoming foe. There was none of that Thursday. only high praise for Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Now that arch-nemesis L'Jarius Sneed is playing for Brian Callahan in Tennessee, Chase is waiting.
"They just have a great defensive coordinator that uses all his weapons and his secondary," Chase said. "(Sneed) knew his leverage and his help. I'm just going to wait for the game now (to talk trash). I'm four years in now."
On Friday, Chase indicated he's grown a bit weary of the media blowbacks that ensue, and he admitted he's a bit older and wiser.
"Four years in," Chase said. "Live and learn."
Bengals Offensive Line Prepares for Chris Jones
Wide receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring) looks like he's on the verge of missing his second straight game after missing every practice this week and being called doubtful for Sunday by Taylor.
Tight end Tanner Hudson (knee) and defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr. (thumb) also occupy the doubtful list after Jenkins didn't go this week and Hudson missed Wednesday and Friday. Right tackle Amarius Mims (pectoral) went limited this week and Taylor also called him doubtful.
Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. sees old friend Samaje Perine, his Oklahoma teammate and former Bengals running back now working for the Chiefs.
Brown, who left the Chiefs to join the Bengals in 2023, also knows all about Kansas City game-wrecking defensive linemen Chris Jones. With an array of double teams, the Bengals did a good job against Jones last year, and he didn't let him get a sack until the last drive. The year before, Jones dominated the Chiefs' win in the 2022 AFC title game.
"Extremely dominant player. First ballot Hall of Famer. The thing I respect about him is the consistency he's shown over his career," Brown said. "There's a reason he was in the conversation with Aaron Donald when Donald was playing.
"He's such a great player. He's always hard to take out of a game. You never know where he's going to line up and he's super talented everywhere. He'll be over all five of us (offensive linemen) at some point."
Brown's message is clear to his group: "All of these guys are men. They're all humans. Nobody's an alien. It's important to have the proper mindset. You respect his ability, but I also respect my game, too."
Don't get it wrong. Chase still has the same swag. It will be recalled three years ago it was against the Chiefs when Chase put up a rookie-record 266 yards that included a here-I-am-there-I-go 69-yard touchdown catch.
Asked if it's his favorite play to watch, he said, "I've made a lot of plays, bro. I can't sit here and pick. I'm excited about everything I do."
Bengals Offense Looking to Bounce Back
Joe Burrow says he gets better as the season goes and the numbers say he's right. They also say he'll put up much better numbers Sunday in Kansas City (4:25 p.m.-Cincinnati's Local 12) than he did in last Sunday's opener against the Patriots.
On Monday, head coach Zac Taylor and offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher sketched out what they're looking to build on for Sunday's game against the two-time Super Bowl Champions.
The Bengals' week of preparation for Sunday's opener (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Local 12) against the Patriots at Paycor Stadium got a kick-start Wednesday when three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase practiced and quarterback Joe Burrow and a pair of his wide fellow receivers pronounced him ready to go.
In the Bengals' first extensive practice of the week leading to Sunday's (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Local 12) opener against the Patriots at Paycor Stadium, all looked to be well in Bengaldom with three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase on the practice field Wednesday.
