Ja'Marr Chase on Cincinnati Bengals' Win Over Steelers on Thursday Night Football

Cincinnati Bengals On SI

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00:00Honestly, good having him here for us, you know what I'm saying?

00:04Organization made a big jump on him.

00:05We believed him.

00:06We got him, so he came in doing his thing and showing off for us.

00:10What did it mean for him to go right back to you when you had that play that was an incomplete on the sideline

00:16and then obviously the touchdown right away, just going right back to you?

00:19Well, we already had the next play in already, and they said it was incomplete,

00:26and we was already in the middle of calling another play.

00:30And then, you know, we just called it again.

00:32Drew Burrow is obviously gone to you time and time again in clutch situations.

00:38But tonight, 23 targets and whatever, 16 catches a team record.

00:43Did tonight feel different, special in any way?

00:46I didn't even know I had 16 targets, if I'm being honest.

00:48I didn't even know I had.

00:50I thought I had like nine, if I'm being honest.

00:52It didn't feel like that many.

00:54Why?

00:56I don't know.

00:57I'm not sure.

00:58Are you surprised at all?

01:00It's been the way Pittsburgh's played.

01:01You've played them so many times.

01:04We've seen you do this to fall.

01:05We've only seen you do this to Pittsburgh.

01:08Anything you've played with?

01:09You've been surprised?

01:13Got a lot of man.

01:14They doubled on third down for real.

01:15Tried to mix it up a little bit.

01:16But, no, they did exactly what we was expecting and hoping they'd do.

01:21A lot of times, three-point sharpshooters in basketball talk about when they have a heater, that they're in a zone.

01:26What does it feel like when you're catching so many balls like you did tonight?

01:29I really can't tell you, bro.

01:34I'm just really in the moment.

01:35It's like in the moment going on.

01:37You're drilling and pumping.

01:38Are you either tired, you want the ball, or you want to get out?

01:40Two days ago, you said that it felt like the guys were close to turning the corner and getting wins.

01:47What does it feel like to get this one?

01:49That's what I was talking about, man.

01:50We know we're as close.

01:52Last week, we felt like we just figured it out about how we're going to go about Flacco and just the offense, period.

01:59I think today showed what we're really capable of and show how prolific this offense is really going to be.

02:05Y'all bounced back right after the touchdown.

02:07We finally had the touchdown.

02:08We guessed it.

02:10Boom, we come right back on.

02:11I guess it's a day, right?

02:13What was going for you, man, at that point?

02:15Did you think you had the first touchdown?

02:17I mean, I knew I had it, but I didn't think I had it all the way because when I fell, it got stuck to my hip.

02:25But, you know, NFL, every camera angle is every camera angle.

02:28They got everything.

02:29So, but.

02:31How did you beat Ramsey?

02:34On the touchdown?

02:35Yeah, for the next play.

02:37Just a little fade ball.

02:39He was very handsy at the top.

02:42Tried to get his hands off me last minute, and that's when the ball was in the air.

02:45The first big game that you and T have both had this season,

02:47is this kind of what y'all thought might happen when y'all decided to re-sign here?

02:51This was supposed to happen.

02:53Exactly, yeah.

02:54I mean, how good does it feel to finally have that come after, you know, just seven weeks in,

02:58but to finally kind of have that feeling?

03:00What's that like, especially in a game like this?

03:01It feels good knowing this is exactly what we preach about all the time.

03:06This is the reason why DBs or the team go grab DBs to stop us, you know what I'm saying?

03:10And this is all we breed, you know, as a receiver core.

03:14Today was the day.

03:16If that's you, instead of T, catching that deep ball inside the tent,

03:19how hard would it have been to slide down?

03:22I would have slid.

03:23I would have slid.

03:24Would it be hard to do that?

03:25No.

03:26If you want to win, you're going to slide.

03:29Yeah, if you want to win, you're going to slide.

03:34Is that, going back to what you just said,

03:35is that extra vindication Steelers kind of retooled that DB room from last year

03:39to this year brought in some bets?

03:40I mean, how much, how vindicating is that for that y'all were able to go out and win

03:43and the man that y'all did?

03:46I mean, yeah, that's exactly what they was trying to do for us.

03:52But at the end of the day, you still got to stop everybody.

03:55We got Chase in the backfield.

03:56We had a great running game today.

03:58O-line did great in protection.

04:00Flacco was doing a great job just getting the balls out when he had pressure.

04:04So, I mean, today was just an overall all-around offensive game.

04:08How good did it feel to finally play with Chase as a part of that game?

04:13It felt good.

04:15But it was a little nervous at the end.

04:18Not even going to say nervous, but nerve-wracking at the end.

04:20Knowing it's getting down, it's two minutes under,

04:22and you got A-Rod that throws Hail Mary's for a living,

04:24and, you know, it's always ended up a touchdown.

04:26So, it gets a little nervous at the end.

04:28Zach was through your mind after they take the lead.

04:30You've had the lead the entire second half.

04:32They take the lead.

04:32You guys are getting the ball back.

04:34What do you think?

04:36That's what they pay us the money for.

04:38At the end of the day, we got to make a play

04:39and make a play for the team.

04:41You know, at the end of the day, that's why they got us.

04:43After last week, y'all lost four straight.

04:45Zach said, you felt like y'all were close.

04:47There was a lot of positivity.

04:48How much does that message kind of resonate over the course of the week

04:51when things have gotten tough over the years that Zach says it?

04:54I mean, how much does that matter to y'all

04:55because y'all get through a game?

04:57Get through a week, I should say.

04:59Yeah.

05:01I mean, it means a lot just from coming from him,

05:03but it also comes from the players, too, not just Zach.

05:06At the end of the day, the players know what it takes.

05:08We got guys that are in there that are vocal, that are being leaders.

05:12They always speak up when we have situations like this.

05:14How cool was it to see Joe Burrow on the sideline as well,

05:20just a little energy shift in there?

05:22I didn't even know he was coming to the game, if I'm being honest.

05:24And at the end of the game, I told him, I said,

05:26I know you miss it, brother.

05:27We miss you.

05:28I mean, I know he's out there.

05:29I want to be out there, but it's good seeing him again.

05:32How big did he turn on in the division?

05:34I mean, the head of this morning when you wake up,

05:36and now you're still going on.

05:38How big is that?

05:39It's good.

05:40You know what I mean?

05:41That means we're taking the right step forward.

05:43And, you know, we're on the right path.

05:47Blackburn's only been here for nine days.

05:49How have you felt such good chemistry with him so far

05:51after you were sick last week and then you had a short week this week?

05:56That's a great question.

05:57I don't know, man.

06:01We're not really throwing the ball to each other at practice either

06:03because it's like this week was fast, walk through reps.

06:06Last week was a little off for me.

06:07So, honestly, just coming in and being a veteran

06:10and just knowing the coverages and knowing what's his answer,

06:12I think that's his best reason.

06:14Did you think this kind of offensive success was possible this quickly

06:17since you guys got Flacco?

06:20I think we knew it last week.

06:22We've seen the opportunities last week.

06:24You said they did what you wanted them to do.

06:27Yes.

06:27Pretty much cover two.

06:30Yeah.

06:31Yeah, man.

06:32We knew they was going to put Joey on T and put Jalen on me.

06:35And we knew that.

06:37We was ready for it.

06:38We was going to take advantage of those opportunities.

06:40One of Chase Brown's long runs you ran sprinted down the field

06:42and made a big block.

06:43A lot of star receivers want to do that.

06:45Why did you?

06:46I've got to give effort.

06:47I told Chase I've got to give him more effort on my run blocks

06:49just because I know some of the times I don't expect him to cut back to my side.

06:55He does it the majority of the time, so I've got to give him effort more.

06:58Tomorrow, I think this is going to be the edge.

06:59I'm going to read it so I get it right through that game

07:01with 150 receiving yards.

07:02You passed Jerry Rice for the most in the first five seasons.

07:05What's it like to kind of hear your name,

07:07kind of end that conversation and pass it to a guy like Jerry?

07:09Um, it's cool.

07:15I don't even really know what – I don't – I would never know what that is

07:19until y'all tell me at the end of the day, you know.

07:20So, it's a cool opportunity hearing it, man, but I still got a long way to go

07:25and that's the goal to get a Super Bowl and a gold jacket.

07:27Jerry's got a ton of records.

07:28Is that growing up something that you've thought about

07:30and kind of the numbers that he's put up most of his career?

07:32How much?

07:34No.

07:34If I'm being honest, no.

07:37Second game with at least 14 catches.

07:39This year, did it – and you said you felt like you had only eight or nine.

07:44Did it feel different maybe compared to that Jacksonville game when you had 14?

07:52Um, no, not really.

07:57You know, I know the only game that I felt like I had a lot of passes

08:00was the Cardinals game, the AZ game,

08:02but that game and this game didn't really feel like I had a lot.

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