Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) reacts after making a first down against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Paycor Stadium. Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Ja'Marr Chase continues to show why he's most dominant WR in NFL

By Zachary Cariola | Last updated Oct 17, 2025 9:54 AM ET

Coming into their matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers on “Thursday Night Football,” the Cincinnati Bengals were riding a four-game losing streak, but turned it around against their divisional opponent in prime time.

Thanks to solid quarterback play by 40-year-old Joe Flacco, who had a career game, and another standout performance from Ja’Marr Chase, the Bengals are in a better spot thanks to their new tandem. Chase continued to show he is the most dominant wide receiver in the NFL, especially in big games.

Ja’Marr Chase continues to perform during prime time

After putting together a career year last season, where he won the NFL “Triple Crown” by leading the league in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708), and receiving touchdowns (17), Chase is having another fantastic season, as he's accumulated 629 yards with five touchdowns through seven games.

Needing a win heading into Thursday night, Chase helped Flacco carve up the Steelers defense by having a masterful performance of his own, totaling 161 yards on 16 receptions with a touchdown. Chase appears at home when playing on “Thursday Night Football,” as he had 264 yards and three touchdowns on 11 receptions against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night last season (Nov. 7), according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

Ja’Marr Chase’s last two appearances on Thursday Night Football:

- 16 REC, 161 YDS, 1 TD vs. Steelers
- 11 REC, 264 YDS, 3 TD vs. Ravens pic.twitter.com/9RGM5Rkp3k
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) October 17, 2025

Bengals need Ja’Marr Chase, Joe Flacco to keep clicking to make playoffs

Though it was a tight win, the Bengals showed that another team outside the Steelers will be contending for the lead in the AFC North. Past his prime but still a savvy veteran, Flacco showed he can be the guy to help the Bengals tread water and be a sneaky team heading into the playoffs, especially with the two options he has in Chase and Tee Higgins at receiver.

Higgins proved he wasn’t a slouch in the victory, going for 96 yards on six targets and scoring a touchdown. Boasting a good receiving core and showing improvement in the running game by rushing for 142 yards against the Steelers, the Bengals are in a good spot moving forward if they can bring it together on the other side of the ball, as they are 31st in the NFL in total defense (394.4 yards).

Zachary Cariola

My name is Zachary Cariola and I have been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. My areas of expertise are MLB, NBA, and NFL. You can find my other work on Southside Showdown from FanSided and at Chicitysports where I cover all Chicago sports. When not watching sports, I love spending time with my family and learning history.

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