Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase Dealing with Back Soreness After Win Over Bills

By Ben Baby, ESPN Staff Writer | Nov 6, 2023, 06:08 PM ET

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is currently experiencing back soreness following a hard hit he took during Sunday’s victory against the Buffalo Bills.

Chase attributed the injury to a fall on his back during the game. Although he played through the pain, he remains uncertain about the severity of the injury and his availability for the upcoming game against the Houston Texans.

“I’m just going to support my teammates, man,” Chase stated on Monday. “Let those guys do what they got to do. The only thing I can do is focus on getting healthy for the team and giving my best.”

Bengals coach Zac Taylor believes that Chase sustained the injury in the third quarter of their 24-18 win at Paycor Stadium. Chase leaped backward in an attempt to catch a deep pass from quarterback Joe Burrow but landed hard on the ground after failing to make the acrobatic catch.

Taylor expressed uncertainty about Chase’s status for Sunday’s home game against the Houston Texans (4-4). The coach stated that Chase’s availability will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis, with the players having Tuesday off.

“We’ll see how it goes,” Taylor said. “I don’t want to raise any concerns at this point. Right now, he’s just dealing with soreness.”

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Chase finished the game with four catches on eight targets for 41 yards. He mentioned that his back issue worsened as the game progressed.

This is not the first time Chase has dealt with mid-season injuries. Last season, he missed four games due to a hip ailment. However, he noted that the back injury is different as it relates more to his spine.

After facing the Houston Texans at home in Week 10, the Bengals will travel to Baltimore for a Thursday night matchup against the Ravens. Both teams have won four consecutive games and are competing for the AFC North title. Cincinnati lost their first game against Baltimore in Week 2.

Chase emphasized that he is solely focused on the present and not looking ahead to the schedule.

“You can’t jump forward,” Chase said. “I’m not worried about Baltimore right now. I’m only concerned about Houston, who is in front of us. One week at a time.”

Despite Chase’s back injury and the Bills’ efforts to limit his impact, Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins had a standout performance, recording eight catches for 110 yards in the primetime victory.

Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan expressed confidence in the team’s ability to find production from various receivers, tight ends, and their effective running game if Chase is unable to play.

“We have a lot of options that give me great confidence in our ability to replace production or step up when needed,” Callahan said.