Update: Chase was ruled out with a concussion in the second half.
The Cincinnati Bengals got a scare in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars when wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase stayed down on the field after a catch near the Jacksonville sideline.
NFL on CBS posted video of the play and reported that Chase “stayed down after a rough facemask and ensuing hit. He was able to walk off and head to the medical tent.”
Walking off under his own power is a good sign. We can’t say much more than that yet. As of this writing, the Bengals have not announced what Chase was being evaluated for or whether he will return.
Ja’Marr Chase injury update
The play came on second-and-21 with a little more than 12 minutes left in the first half and Cincinnati trailing 3-0. Chase caught a short pass from Joe Burrow and went down in a crowd of Jaguars defenders, and a flag came out right away.
The CBS broadcast showed Chase flat on his back with his hands up by his helmet while trainers came out to him. That’s never what you want to see from your best player.
Cincinnati finished the drive with a 29-yard Evan McPherson field goal that tied the game 3-3.
This is the second scare for Chase in six weeks. He hyperextended his left knee in an Aug. 25 practice and didn’t miss a game. He came into Sunday with 18 catches for 185 yards and three touchdowns, including nine for 98 and a score last week in Pittsburgh.
Bengals’ thin depth at wide receiver
Cincinnati is in a bad spot to lose a wideout for any length of time. Andrei Iosivas is on injured reserve and rookie Colbie Young came into the week out with a knee injury, which leaves Tee Higgins and not much proven behind him if Chase can’t go.
Safe to say Burrow’s afternoon gets a lot harder without his top target.
We’ll update this post as soon as the Bengals give Chase a designation. Cincinnati visits the Miami Dolphins next Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
