The Cincinnati Bengals cruised to another big win in Week 2, as they handed a tough Houston Texans team a 20-6 defeat. The Bengals weren’t necessarily perfect in this game, but when going up against a team like the Texans, as long as you win, nothing else really matters.
In a positive development, Cincinnati managed to get Ja’Marr Chase going after he turned in a very quiet season-opening performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Chase scored both of the Bengals’ touchdowns in this game, and according to former league MVP Adrian Peterson, his first touchdown grab was the best catch he’s ever seen.
Ja’Marr Chase Earns High Praise From Adrian Peterson
Ever since entering the NFL as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Chase has consistently been one of the top wide receivers in the league. However, during his time in town, he and the Bengals have become notorious for getting off to slow starts. On a team level, that obviously didn’t happen, but seeing Chase catch just two passes for 12 yards in Week 1 was jarring.
Against a tougher Texans secondary, though, Chase managed to find much more breathing room, as he hauled in seven receptions for 75 yards and a pair of scores. Considering how Houston features Derek Stingley, one of the top cornerbacks in the league, that makes Chase’s big game even more impressive.
Chase has made quite a few highlight-reel plays throughout his career, but few have been better than his first touchdown in this game. Running down the right sideline, Chase lost his footing in pursuit of a deep go-ball from Burrow, but he managed to somehow catch his balance, readjust his body, and track and catch the football, all while managing to stay in bounds. After seeing the play, Peterson boldly declared it the best catch he’s ever seen.
“That’s probably the best catch I’ve ever seen in my life,” Peterson said of Chase’s touchdown grab in a video uploaded on Instagram. “The adjustment, to be stumbling, to track the ball, to drag your feet. I don’t think I’ve seen a better catch than that. That was amazing. There’s probably only a couple guys that could’ve made that catch in NFL history. That was special.”
Ja’Marr Chase Gets Back on Track for Bengals in Week 2
At this point, Chase’s greatness is almost taken for granted. With that in mind, when he has a quiet game, it catches the attention of fans. As long as Joe Burrow can remain healthy and on the field, though, it would be safe to expect Chase to turn in another Pro Bowl campaign at the very least.
The Bengals offense still has some work to do until it is firing on all cylinders, but if Chase can keep stringing together big games, it will only be a matter of time until they are taking the league by storm. Cincy has another tough game on its schedule in Week 3, as it will spend the next few days gearing up for a tough divisional matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Former NFL MVP Turns Heads With Ja’Marr Chase Message After Bengals Win