The Cincinnati Bengals faced a setback in their Week 15 victory over the Minnesota Vikings as star receiver Ja’Marr Chase exited the game early due to an injury.
Unfortunately, the news regarding Chase’s health took a negative turn on Monday, with an MRI revealing a separated shoulder. Consequently, it is anticipated that Chase will be sidelined for the upcoming Week 16 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers and potentially for an extended period.
According to a report by Ian Rapoport from NFL.com on Monday night, Chase is expected to miss some games due to the injury. The Bengals, however, have demonstrated resilience in recent games, securing victories with Jake Browning at quarterback following Joe Burrow’s Week 11 injury. Despite losing to the Steelers in Week 12, the Bengals have won their last three games. In contrast, the Steelers are currently on a three-game losing streak leading up to the rematch with Cincinnati.
In the absence of Burrow over the past four games, Chase has made significant contributions, recording 22 receptions for 323 yards and one touchdown. In the Week 15 game against the Vikings, he caught four passes for 64 yards before being sidelined. Throughout the season, Chase has achieved a career-high 93 receptions, accumulating 1,156 yards and scoring seven touchdowns.
Although the Bengals are no longer in contention for the AFC North title, they find themselves in a competitive Wild Card race in the AFC. As they enter Week 16, the Bengals currently occupy the second Wild Card spot and hold the sixth overall position in the conference. However, with five teams boasting an 8-6 record, there is limited margin for error in their pursuit of a playoff berth.
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