It didn’t take an advanced degree in football theory to understand the Bengals’ game plan in Dallas on Monday night.
They wanted the ball in the hands of their best receiver as they tried to beat the Cowboys and they made sure Ja’Marr Chase got his opportunities. Quarterback Joe Burrow targeted Chase 18 times during the 27-20 win and Chase caught 14 of them for 177 yards and two touchdowns.
It was his third game this season with at least 10 catches and head coach Zac Taylor said in his postgame press conference that the team wants to get him even more chances.
“You just can’t get him the ball enough,” Taylor said, via a transcript from the team. “We got it to him 14 times, and it feels like we can still try to get it to him more. And we do, trust me. But, you know, just in those moments, sometimes you just try to keep it simple.”
Chase now leads the league in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. His prolific season likely won’t be enough to get the Bengals into the playoffs, but it sets the stage for another offseason of contract drama between the team and a player who makes their offense tick.