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Ben Baby, ESPN Staff Writer
Close- Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports.
He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN’s NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs.
A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA). -
CINCINNATI — Ja’Marr Chase had plenty to say Thursday ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals‘ showdown Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bengals wide receiver started out saying nothing stood out about the Chiefs’ secondary, a sentiment he has shared about other teams. Then he said the reigning Super Bowl champs don’t have a lockdown cornerback like the Miami Dolphins‘ Jalen Ramsey. Chase added that Kansas City safety Bryan Cook, who is on injured reserve, is not comparable to the Atlanta Falcons‘ Jessie Bates III, who spent the first five years of his career with the Bengals.
When it was expressed that the comments could be perceived as shots at Cincinnati’s AFC rival, Chase seemed to embrace it.
“I’m just adding fire to the fuel,” Chase said. “They’re going to take this, run with it. Hope they put it in their locker.”
In previous years, the battle between the clubs has developed into one of the NFL’s best rivalries. In January 2022, the Bengals defeated Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game to advance to the team’s first Super Bowl in more than three decades. One year later, Kansas City won the rematch on a field goal as time expired.
Chase, a third-year player out of LSU, has made the Pro Bowl in each of his first two NFL seasons and had his biggest career game against Kansas City. In Week 17 of the 2021 season, he set a franchise record with 266 receiving yards in a 34-31 victory over the Chiefs that clinched the Bengals’ first playoff berth since 2015. In the two playoff games between the teams, he has totaled 12 catches for 129 yards and a touchdown.
Thursday marked a positive sign regarding Chase’s availability for Sunday’s game. Chase was a limited participant at practice, marking his first involvement since he suffered a right shoulder injury in the Week 15 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 16.
However, Chase said his status remains up in the air.
“It’s feeling good right now, but I’m still taking it day by day,” said Chase, who added that the decision to play is up to him.
“I’m just adding fire to the fuel. They’re going to take this, run with it. Hope they put it in their locker.”
Ja’Marr Chase
Both Cincinnati (8-7) and Kansas City (9-6) are entering Sunday’s game with less luster than in the previous matchups. Kansas City has already suffered its most regular-season losses since 2017, the last year the franchise didn’t at least reach the conference title game. The Bengals are without starting quarterback Joe Burrow, who is recovering from season-ending wrist surgery, and are currently on the outside of the playoff picture.
But if Chase plays, he knows what to expect.
“They know I’m good, they know how to play us,” Chase said of Kansas City’s secondary. “That’s what it is. But it’s not like they got a superstar on their defense.”
On and off the field, the game has featured back-and-forth comments between the teams. Chase said he loves that aspect of the matchup.
“Hell yeah,” Chase said. “They talk the most s—.”
