Joe Burrow Reveals Ja'Marr Chase Goal in Bengals-Steelers

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Gerard Angelo Samillano | Last updated Dec 31, 2024 11:37 PM ET

The Cincinnati Bengals have one major goal in Week 18: win. Thanks to a hot streak to end the season, Cincinnati has a chance of making it to the postseason despite starting the season with a 4-7 record. However, their path to the playoffs start with a win over their division rivals Pittsburgh Steelers.

That being said... Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase have their eye on a side quest, so to speak. As of the time of writing, Chase is honing in on the receiving Triple Crown title, a feat not done since Cooper Kupp's 2021 season.

Of course, Burrow is looking to keep Chase on top of the Triple Crown standings while also gunning for a Bengals win.

"Make sure he (Chase) gets it," Burrow said, per Geoff Hobson of NFL.com. "I think a couple of (categories) are pretty out of reach for everybody else. I think he's got a seven- or eight-catch lead."

The receiving Triple Crown is awarded to a receiver who leads the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Currently, Chase has eight more receptions than Detroit Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Bengals wide receiver also has a 133-yard lead over former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson, and has four more receiving TDs over St-Brown and Washington Commanders star Terry McLaurin.

The last winner of the Triple Crown was Kupp, who did it in 2021 for the Los Angeles Rams. Kupp won Offensive Player of the Year and the Super Bowl MVP after beating the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. Saquon Barkley's historic rushing season will make winning OPOY tough for Chase, though, as Barkley's 2,000-yard season makes him the clear favorite for the award.

The Burrow-Chase connection has helped the Bengals stay alive in the playoff race. Despite having one of the worst defenses in the league, the Bengals' offense has kept them in games. When Chase takes the attention, Cincinnati still has Tee Higgins (858 yards and ten touchdowns) and Andrei Iosivas (467 yards and six touchdowns) to be threats.

The bigger goal for the Bengals in Week 18 is to win out over the Steelers. Cincinnati needs to win over Pittsburgh to have a chance at making the postseason. Should they win the matchup, they are rooting for the Chiefs to beat the Broncos and the Jets to beat the Dolphins to win that final playoff spot.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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