CINCINNATI BENGALS RECEIVED A TERRIBLE MASSAGE FROM STEELERS ABOUT.
Star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is out for the Cincinnati Bengals’ crucial Week 16 match against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Cincinnati Bengals, who are in the running for an AFC playoff spot, will be without wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, their best offensive player, when they travel to Pittsburgh on Saturday to play a crucial game.
The top receiver for the Bengals, Ja’Marr Chase, sustained a shoulder injury last Saturday. Before leaving the game and watching the Bengals defeat the Minnesota Vikings 27-24 in overtime while wearing street clothes, he caught four passes for 64 yards.
The Bengals (8-6) won their third straight game thanks to strong performances from Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd while Chase was sidelined.
In the absence of Ja’Marr Chase, Higgins and Boyd must perform well for the Bengals, who have the most important game of the Week 16 schedule in terms of playoff implications of any AFC team.
Based on the NFL’s playoff probabilities, the Bengals, who are currently the No. 6 seed in the AFC, have a 47-percent chance of making the postseason.
With a win, they can increase their chances to 66 percent; if they lose, they can see their chances drop to 20 percent, which is the second-largest swing in the NFL (the Los Angeles Rams have a 58-point swing).
After starting quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury, the Bengals have benefited greatly from the play of backup Jake Browning, who has been lighting up the league with some of the best passing stats.
However, Ja’Marr Chase’s absence is a great loss. In addition to his seven touchdowns, Chase has a career-high 93 receptions, 1,156 receiving yards (which rank seventh in the NFL), and he has made the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons.
The former LSU teammate of Chase, who was selected fifth overall in the 2021 draft, teamed with Burrow to quickly establish themselves as one of the best receivers in the game. With a 13-touchdown rookie season, Chase won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year title.
Without Ja’Marr Chase, the Bengals may be able to defeat the ailing Steelers (7-7), but they will undoubtedly need him back for their final two games against two teams that will make the playoffs: at home against Cleveland in Week 17 and at Kansas City in Week 17.
