How Ja'Marr Chase Sparked the Bengals' 35-13 Comeback Win

After the first half, the Cincinnati Bengals trailed the Baltimore Ravens 13-0, heading toward another head-scratching, disappointing loss. They had gained just 59 yards and earned two first downs. They crossed midfield just one time, and Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combined for just two receptions. 

After coming out of halftime, Cincinnati flipped a switch, scoring 35 unanswered points, sealing a 35-13 win. Joe Burrow told CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson that Ja’Marr Chase lit a fire under his teammates in the halftime locker room. Their second-half response signaled their confidence and also a lack of panic despite a two-possession deficit and virtually no production offensively. 

Amarius Mims told reporters postgame that whenever Ja’Marr Chase talks, people need to shut up and listen, and that he could see it in Chase's eyes that there was no way they were losing that game. 

Joe Burrow completed 16-of-18 second-half pass attempts and threw for 249 of 292 yards. He also threw four touchdowns in the final 30 minutes of game time to four different receivers: Mike Gesicki, Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase, and Drew Sample. 

Burrow is having an MVP-caliber season through six games, with a 71.7% completion percentage, 1,653 yards, 15 touchdowns and three interceptions. It seems that he has caught his stride, as numbers like these should be expected over the next few weeks. 

Asked about the offense’s aggressiveness in the second half, Joe Burrow said that’s how they should operate every week, given how talented the players they have on that side of the ball are. Tee Higgins had a monster game with six catches, 148 yards, and the aforementioned score. 

Higgins is averaging 95 yards per game as his production is making up for Ja’Marr Chase’s disappointing start to the season. Not that he has been bad by any means, he is still showing off stellar route running as he did on his touchdown against the Ravens, and his elite catchability and catch radius. 

Cincinnati is now 4-2 and in third place in the AFC North, in large part because of their early bye week and their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The division looks very different in week seven than many expected, with the Cleveland Browns tied for first after a surprising 5-2 start. 

The Bengals have a stretch of games where they could very well go on a run, with contests against the Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Commanders, and New Orleans Saints coming up in consecutive weeks.