If Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase ran the exact same route two months earlier, it likely would have resulted in a 10-yard reception and another nice moment in an impressive rookie season.
Against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, the Bengals were down 14-0 in the last minute of the first quarter. Facing soft zone coverage, Chase ran to the first down line from the slot, and cut to the left sideline.
On Chase’s route, he was supposed to go all the way to the left edge of the field. Burrow would have hit him in stride for a first down in that scenario. But Chase saw the opportunity for more.
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Chase cut off his route short so he wouldn’t run into the Chiefs defensive back guarding the sideline. He identified the weakest part of the zone, caught the ball with room to run and then sprinted 72 yards for a touchdown.
The play put the Bengals on the board only because of the way Chase read the field. Instead of a 10-yard catch, it was a season-changing touchdown.
“Versus zone coverage, he has gotten a lot better over the last half of the year,” Burrow said. “You saw it on his first touchdown he’s running an out route, felt the flat corner getting ready to trap, and he settled into that zone. That’s the sign of a smart receiver who really understands what he’s looking at.”
Throughout the season, Burrow has taken his biggest step with the way he shreds blitzing defenses. He’s picked up on subtle parts of the defense to identify what’s going to happen before the snap, and he’s using that knowledge to his advantage.
Chase is doing the exact same thing at his position. He’s learned how to find the open spots against zone coverages. Chase’s ability to time his routes, adjust his speed and e at the right place at the right time have all led him to the next stage of his career.
Chase started the season as a deep threat. He’s finishing it as one of the best receivers in the NFL.
“That’s what I’ve learned, being able to execute at the right speed,” Chase said. “Playing receiver, you have to know when to play fast, and that’s another thing I’ve learned. I’ve been watching a lot of film. (Bengals wide receivers coach Troy Walters) has been helping me with that. Playing fast at my own speed.”
Chase’s evolution has been about mastering the details. He has spoken about getting a better sense of what read he is on every play and using the routes being run around him to his advantage. If wide receiver Tyler Boyd is running up the field when Chase is in the slot, Chase now has a better sense of what he can do to get open against a zone.
Chase has seen nearly every coverage in the book this season, and he usually grins when he describes the latest way a defensive coordinator threw the kitchen sink at him. He has seen “Tampa 2, three buzz and clouded Cover 2.” For a few snaps against the Baltimore Ravens, Chase saw the same double teams that the Ravens broke out for the first time a week earlier against Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams.
Chase has developed counter moves to different styles of coverage. The Bengals coaching staff started him in the slot more against zone defense, which also put him in more positions to be successful.
“I want to be smart with the offense,” Chase said. “Knowing more and more positions. Knowing what everybody has to do. Just get the small things for the defense down. Even our cadence calls. I want to get those down perfectly. That might give me speed or release off the ball. Little things. All that can play a part later.”
Chase is perfecting details like route depth, technique against press coverage and run blocking. Meanwhile, the Bengals began moving him more around the field when his stats dipped in November.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor says it’s typical for a rookie receiver to hit the rookie wall and not bounce back until the following season. Chase’s progress in the smallest areas of the game have led to him playing his best football in the Bengals most important games of the season.
“It's easy for young guys to come and explode onto the scene early and then fade as the season goes,” Taylor said. “As it gets harder, it's taxing on your body and it gets taxing on you mentally. It can be exhausting for a lot of guys. (Chase) just maintained his standard throughout.”
During the season, Chase said he’s able to process more of the game when he watches film. He’s mixing up the depth of his routes, the details of his jump at the line of scrimmage and the nuances of the coverage he’s facing.
Chase’s technique was the difference in his best plays over the last month. Against the Chiefs, Chase gave himself the opportunity for the 72-yard touchdown with the way he read the zone defense. His two toe-tap catches, including an 18-yard touchdown catch, were a result of a drill he does every week with Burrow where they simulate taking a shot against a zone defense into a tight window.
Against the San Francisco 49ers, Chase caught the 32-yard game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter. He said the play worked because of what he did two snaps prior. Earlier on the drive, Chase sold a slant route before running a deep route up the field. Because the opposing cornerback expected Chase to run his route the same way on the eventual touchdown, Chase sprinted right by him down the right sideline.
“He's been consistent with this process,” Taylor said. “I can't say enough good things about him. Can't say enough good things about Troy Walters also… They help maintain that standard for those guys, and you know, they keep being critical of them, constructive criticism, making sure that they're playing at their best on Sundays."
Chase ranks fourth in the NFL with 1,429 receiving yards and second with 13 receiving touchdowns. He’s 11 receiving yards away from breaking former Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson’s franchise record for single-season receiving yards, and Chase has become the front-runner for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Taylor said he’s just as proud of Chase’s blocking in the run game. One of his favorite plays of the season was the second snap against the Denver Broncos, where Chase blocked a safety into the turf on a short run.
In a season full of highlight plays and franchise-changing moments, Chase has been the most impactful rookie in the NFL.
“What he's done as a rookie has been tremendous,” Taylor said. “If he got that award that would be one of the least surprising things in my life, because he's earned it.”
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