Last Sunday, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase delivered the “I’m always f’ing open” line.
On Thursday, he talked about getting a 7/11 commercial and a T-shirt with “Always open” on it before prophesizing that he just might end the longest scoring drought of his career with a four-touchdown game “for the people.”
Turns out that in addition to always being open, Chase is almost always right.
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Ja’Marr Chase’s Record-Setting Week 5 Outing
With Joe Burrow looking as close to healthy as anyone has seen since July 27, Chase torched the Arizona secondary for 15 catches, 192 yards, and three touchdowns Sunday in a 34-20 Cincinnati victory.
Shortly after receiving a game ball from Zac Taylor, and while the head coach was still in his postgame news conference, Chase grabbed his phone and tweeted a simple message:
7/11 pic.twitter.com/6vdwKQkVfs
— Ja’MarrChase (@Real10jayy__) October 8, 2023
“7/11. That’s all I’ve got to say, brother,” Chase said in his postgame news conference before, of course, saying more.
“It felt fun, let me say that,” Chase added. “It didn’t feel normal. It felt fun. It’s fun when you’re having fun.”
The 15 catches were a career-high and a franchise record, breaking Carl Pickens’ mark of 13 set almost 25 years to the day earlier. Pickens had 13 catches for 204 yards and a touchdown in a 25-20 win against the Steelers on Oct. 11, 1998.
“I didn’t know, but I asked Jake (Browning) on the sideline, ‘What’s the record of most
catches in a game?'” Chase said. “It feels good, but that wasn’t my goal to break that record. I didn’t know that was going to happen. I just caught as many passes as I could if they came my way.”
Chase fell one catch shy of tying Pickens’ record just two weeks ago against the Rams when he caught 12 passes for 141 yards.
The 192 receiving yards Chase had Sunday were the third-highest total of his career. And that performance, coupled with his 266-yard effort against the Chiefs in Week 17, 2021, enabled Chase to set an NFL record.
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Chase is the first player in league history with multiple games of at least 10 receptions, 150 receiving yards, and three touchdown catches in his first three seasons.
Also of note:
- Chase (who is 23 years and 221 days old) is the fourth receiver in NFL history under the age of 24 to record 15 receptions in a game, joining Keenan Allen, Hall of Famer Isaac Bruce, and rookie Puka Nacua.
- With his 63-yard touchdown reception on Sunday, Chase has seven career touchdown receptions of 50+ yards, tied with Brandin Cooks, Billy Howton, and DeSean Jackson for the third-most such touchdowns by a player under the age of 24 in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss (11) and Odell Beckham Jr. (nine) have more.
- Chase’s first touchdown today also was the 200th catch of his career. He reached the milestone in his 34th career game, tying four other players to be the fourth fastest to 200 in NFL history. Only Beckham (30 games), Michael Thomas (32), and Jarvis Landry (33) reached the mark faster.
THERE IT IS FOLKS#CINatAZ | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/F6UefyyIlt
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) October 8, 2023
Chase’s 15 catches also tied the record for the most against the Cardinals franchise. Seattle’s Tyler Lockett had 15 catches for 200 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-34 Seahawks loss in 2020.
“I’m just happy we got the win at the end of the day,” Chase said. “That’s what matters the most. Going back home to Cincinnati with the win.”
In his last 17 games, the equivalent of a full season, Chase has 131 receptions. He is the 20th player in league history to have at least 131 catches in a 17-game span and the first Bengal to do it.
With 44 catches through five games, Chase is on pace for 150, which would break Michael Thomas’ NFL record of 149.
The Bengals’ single-season record is 112, set by T.J. Houshmandzadeh in 2007.
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