Ja’Marr Chase’s recollection of jaw-dropping touchdown catch from Bengals’ win over Texans makes it even crazier in hindsight
The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Houston Texans, 20-6, thanks to two receiving touchdowns from wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. His first of the game may have been the best one he’s ever had.
Not even Ja’Marr Chase himself knows how he made that play.
The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Houston Texans, 20-6, thanks to two receiving touchdowns from Chase. His first of the game may have been the best one he’s ever had.
Chase caught a 32-yard TD to break the game’s scoring drought that had lasted over 26 minutes of in-game time. He somehow contorted his body while off-balanced, found the deep pass from Joe Burrow and snagged it as his momentum took him out of bounds, and dragged his feet in the end zone.
If you found difficulty wondering how Chase was able to do all of that, you’re not alone.
Ja’Marr Chase’s candid recollection of insane TD catch
Chase went up against Texans cornerback and former LSU teammate Derek Stingley Jr. in man coverage while Houston only had a single-high safety. Joe Burrow launched up a back-shoulder fade Chase’s direction once he recognized it was a one-on-one situation.
“I just threw it high and let the guy go make a play,” Burrow said in his postgame presser.
The scenario was ideal, until Chase got inside the five-yard line. Chase started colliding with Stingley’s back and he nearly fell to his right while turning back to his left to find Burrow’s pass. As he regained his footing, he planted his left foot in the end zone right as the ball found his hands, and he dragged his right foot across the goal line.
“I literally don’t know what I did,” Chase told reporters after the game. “Like I couldn’t see the ball for a second, and I was just fighting, trying to get in position. But by the time I seen the ball, it was like in a light, and it came real fast. And it was just adjustment.”
One heck of an adjustment, that’s for sure. That it was essentially all split-second reaction makes it look even more impressive. The degree of difficulty to regain balance, stay inbounds, catch the ball, and drag the second foot all in a couple seconds after taking on contact is All-Pro stuff.
Tee Higgins has made some miraculous grabs throughout his career and even he couldn’t believe what he saw.
“Oh yeah, I watched it on Twitter, man. Yeah, God, that’s crazy, man,” Higgins said in the locker room. The fact that he almost fell and still caught it and toe tapped was unbelievable.”
Chase bounced back nicely after Week 1
Cincinnati managed to win its season-opener last week despite Chase catching just two passes for 12 yards. His immaculate 32-yard TD a week later was accompanied by six other catches (including a second score) and 43 yards for a total of seven receptions for 75 yards and two TDs.
The production was going to come for Chase, whose 56 touchdowns are the most in the NFL since 2021. He knows the other pieces of the offense he’s a part of. But when a spark is needed, the No. 1 option who wears the fitting jersey number is always ready.
“I’m trying to be a team leader, be a captain, and hold myself accountable at the end of the day,” Chase said. “The most I can do is try to provide for my team. I’m not gonna [expletive]-fit and fight about it when I’m not playin good. Tee [Higgins]’ still on the team. We got [Andrei] Iosivas. We got weapons on this team at the end day, so I’m [going to] just hold myself accountable and do whatever I can to make the team win.”
The NFL can hold down Chase for one game. It’s pretty much impossible to do it twice in a row.
His bounce back outing just happened to have a catch we’ll see on his highlight reel for the rest of time.
