Los Angeles Rams defensive back Jalen Ramsey is careful with his words.Known for his personality and play, Ramsey garners a lot of attention. So does Cincinnati Bengals rookie wideout Ja’Marr Chase, for different reasons.Chase and Ramsey will likely spend a lot of time matched up against one another in Super Bowl LVI. Ramsey is Los Angeles’ top defensive back and Chase is Cincinnati’s No. 1 wideout.More:Games within games: Why Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase can't be stoppedRamsey, in his seventh NFL season, usually draws the assignment of his opponents’ No. 1 wide receiver. In this case, it’s Chase, a player he followed in college.“I respect him, I think he’s a good receiver,” Ramsey said on Friday. “I was a fan of his game when he was at LSU, I thought he was a baller. I thought he’s done well and what he’s done this year, he’s been balling and making history for that franchise. It’s a big game for him in Year 1 but it is what it is. I am who I am as well.”More:'We’ve got the weapons': Inside the biggest similarity between the Bengals and RamsChase is everything the Bengals hoped he would be and more since the franchise selected him with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Cincinnati’s first-round pick set the following records in his rookie season: Single-season franchise receiving record Most receiving yards in a season by a rookie in the Super Bowl eraMost receiving yards in a game in franchise historyFirst wide receiver with multiple 200-plus receiving yards in a seasonRamsey and Rams’ defensive coordinator Raheem Morris have their eyes on Chase and Cincinnati’s trio of wide receivers. Where Los Angeles might have the edge in some areas on defense, specifically along the defensive line in this matchup, the Bengals present significant challenges for the Rams’ secondary because of Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Chase.More:‘He’s a phenomenal talent’: Bengals’ safety Vonn Bell with high praise of Rams’ star wide receiver Cooper Kupp“His ability to get the ball in his hands and his catch and run after he gets the ball in his hands is what separates him from the most,” Morris said. “He’s elite in that trait. He’s a big body guy who absolutely (has) the short space quickness to turnover. And not just him, their whole wide receiver crew."They got a nice crew, man. They got Higgins who can go up top on you, they got Ja’Marr who can absolutely do it all and inside they got Boyd, who is the ultimate choice runner. If you’re coaching wideouts and you’re coaching that room, you’ve got to really feel good about the people you got and the tools you have that they built for you in Cincinnati. It’s no secret why they are here because of those guys.”More:Joe Burrow explains why he started playing quarterback at a young ageRamsey moves all around and can play both sides of the field and in the slot, what the Rams call the “star” position.Morris moves Ramsey all over the field to try and get his star defensive back around the ball as much as possible. Depending on which wide receiver is creating the most problems for Los Angeles, that’s likely where Ramsey will spend his time.More:Paul Daugherty: Kicker Evan McPherson, the Bengals not-so-secret weaponMorris points out Chase’s ability to create yards after the catch is his biggest strength and the numbers prove it. According to Pro Football Focus against single coverage, Chase has recorded 977 total receiving yards, 183 yards after contact and 294 yards after the catch.Ramsey has allowed 67 catches on 108 targets for 713 yards in coverage this season, per PFF. He’s recorded four interceptions and 62 solo tackles, the seventh-most in the NFL.More:'You can’t even write stories like this': How Sam Hubbard helped lead the Bengals' resurgence on defenseNo matter the coverage Chase gets, he still finds ways to make an impact on the game. And if the Bengals are going to beat the Rams, Chase will have to be the one who wins the one-on-one matchup against Ramsey. Source link
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