Ja’Marr Chase torches Cardinals for 3 TDs in Arizona’s loss to Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase emphasized in his postgame press conference last week that he’s always open, and if you didn’t take that seriously, he proved it against the Arizona Cardinals in a 34-20 Cardinals loss.

Chase caught a franchise-record 15 balls for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

Chase did some damage early. In a 3rd-and-goal situation halfway through the first quarter, Chase worked a route toward the inside before seeing that his quarterback Joe Burrow had time. With both defenders covering Chase inside that space, he slipped outside near the back of the end zone to snag the game’s first six points.

That's a @Real10jayy__ TUDDY #CINatAZ | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/ewnrYsGO3F

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) October 8, 2023

That played a part in 10 straight Bengals points, and after the Cardinals scored 14 unanswered, Cincinnati did the same thing. A pick-six by Cardinals quarterback Josh Dobbs ended the first half. And less than 90 seconds into the second half, Chase was getting, erm, chased by three Cardinals who lost him in coverage for a 63-yard bomb.

THERE IT IS FOLKS#CINatAZ | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/F6UefyyIlt

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) October 8, 2023

Arizona managed to answer back with its own touchdown score and trail by just four in the mid-third quarter. But a Cincinnati 15-play, 83-yard drive across nearly nine minutes that ended with touchdown No. 3 was the difference.

It was similar to the first, except Burrow was given far too much time to improvise. Chase was initially double covered on a route breaking toward the middle of the field again. But this time, Burrow and Chase made eye contact as Chase was able to keep sprinting to the right, where Burrow had room. Once Burrow saw Chase get by the second defender, he laced the ball in there for Chase’s third score.

HAVE A DEY JA'MARR 👏#CINatAZ | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/erentXSl7P

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) October 8, 2023

Chase was the ultimate game-changer, while Dobbs’ turnovers were the other.

On the following Cardinals drive with under eight minutes remaining, Dobbs was sacked and fumbled to give the Bengals the ball back in great field position. The Arizona defense would hold them to three points but the Cardinals were still down two touchdowns, too tall of a task for the offense.

Dobbs threw his second interception of the game (and season) with under five minutes remaining to all but wrap the game up.

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