Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase vents after embarrassing Browns blowout
It wasn’t just that the Cincinnati Bengals lost to the Cleveland Browns in Sunday’s season opener in Cleveland, it was the manner in which it happened.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who became the NFL’s highest-paid player days ago, had a career-worst game in which he completed 14 of 31 passes for 82 yards and was benched in the second half, and the Browns dominated in a 24-3 romp.
Chase himself had an off game as well, catching just five passes for 39 yards. It was the third time in four career games against the Browns that the former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year was held in check (he had just two receptions for 26 yards and six receptions for 49 yards in the other two games).
His frustration boiled over in the locker room after failing to deliver a win following a week of trash talking the Browns.
“It’s frustrating because I called their ass elves, and we just lost to some elves,” Chase said, via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe. “I’m pissed on my part, I’m pissed on that end. We got missed opportunities, we didn’t capitalize on that [expletive], and we lost. That’s how we lost.”
While some of the Browns downplayed Chase's remarks, others didn't hesitate to bask in the glory of their first win of 2023 coming at the expense of a division rival.
The Bengals offense was so ineffective that rookie Brad Robbins fell one punt shy of tying the team’s single-game record (11) in his NFL debut.
Cleveland has had Cincinnati’s number as of late, posting wins in six of its last seven meetings, including a 4-1 record against Burrow. Sunday’s loss was the first time the Bengals had been shutout in the first half of a game since a 32-12 loss to the same Browns last Halloween, and their 142 yards of total offense was their lowest output since a mustering just 182 yards against the Browns in Week 17 of the 2021 season.
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