CINCINNATI — Earlier this week, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning sat in front of the media and talked about his paranoia of being a one-hit wonder after having one big game on Monday Night Football.
Rookie running back Chase Brown didn’t voice the same fear after his breakout game in Jacksonville, Fla., but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t thinking of it.
Both players put those concerns to rest instantly and emphatically Sunday afternoon in a 34-14 victory against the Indianapolis Colts.
Cincinnati Bengals Rookie Has Second-Fastest TD in NFL
Less than nine minutes into the game, Brown trotted onto the field for his first snap. Browning threw him what looked like a simple screen pass, but Brown turned it into one of the most impressive displays the league has seen this year as he topped out at 22.05 mph on his way to a 54-yard touchdown, the first of his career.
After the game, reporters informed Brown his speed was the second fastest record in the league this year behind Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf’s 22.3 against the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 30.
“For real? That’s pretty cool,” Brown said.
54-yard TUDDY for the rookie @chasebrown____ 👏 pic.twitter.com/ToN1Lej3qk
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 10, 2023
“We’ve learned he is that fast,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said when asked if he knew Brown, who before Monday had just two carries all season, had that kind of speed.
“We do the GPS in practice on kickoff return, things like that,” Taylor added. “He’s had opportunities to show how fast he is. Second fastest? That’s pretty good.”
It’s been more than that. It’s been transformative for a Bengals offense that ranked 32nd in rushing yards per game and 27th in rushing yards per attempt before Taylor and offensive coordinator Brian Callahan inserted Brown into the mix.
Brown carried the ball nine times for 61 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars, including a 31-yarder in the team’s longest of the season.
MORE: Cincinnati Bengals Playoff Scenarios
Sunday, Brown did his damage in the screen game, catching three passes for a team-high 80 yards.
“I can tell that boy has been taking notes,” running back Joe Mixon said, who has seen his production take off despite Brown stealing snaps from him.
Mixon had a season-high 125 scrimmage yards against the Colts, rushing for 79 yards on 21 carries and nearly matching Brown’s 54-yard reception with a 45-yarder of his own.
“He’s bringing a spark,” Mixon said. “We’re feeding off each other, so once you make one play, that leads to another.”
Brown had 25 rushing yards to go with his 80 through the air, giving him his first game with more than 100 yards from scrimmage.
“I knew that Chase was super fast,” Browning said. “It was awesome to see.”
The yards were impressive, but the number everyone was talking about after the win was 22.05.
“I’ve run 22 (mph) before, but never on an offensive snap,” Brown said, noting that he had done it on a kickoff return in practice. “Rookie year’s a grind. You’ve got to play your role. And when your opportunity comes, you’ve got to make the most of it.”
Brown was on the cusp of more opportunities when he suffered a hamstring injury returning a kickoff in the Thursday practice before the Week 8 game at San Francisco, landing him on injured reserve. The first game he was eligible to play was two weeks ago against Pittsburgh, but he never got a snap.
But what he did on Monday Night Football against the Jaguars and Sunday against the Colts is going to ensure more touches and, just maybe, more speed.
“In college, I was more slow-paced,” Brown said. “Once I got to the NFL and working with (Bengals running backs coach Justin Hill), the main thing is using that speed as an advantage. That’s something we were talking about all week.
“When the opportunity was there and I saw tons of space, I thought, ‘I’m going to turn on the jets.’”
Want to predict the rest of the 2023 season with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? Looking for the most up-to-date NFL standings? What about a breakdown of team depth charts or the NFL schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with that and more!
Listen to the PFN Bengals Podcast
Listen to the PFN Bengals Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Bengals Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Bengals Podcast on our NFL YouTube channel.