The Cincinnati Bengals, who have been one of the best stories of the season thanks to wide receivers JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins carrying the team after Joe Burrow’s devastating injury, have had a tough run of luck lately as their list of injured reserve players seems to be growing exponentially. The offense has been clicking as backup quarterback Jake Browning has been able to keep Cincinnati in playoff contention.
JaMarr Chase Suffers Injury Against the Minnesota Vikings
NFL Insider Mike Garafolo reported on Sunday evening that star Cincinnati Wide Receiver suffered a separated shoulder against Minnesota.
Chase suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of the game against Minnesota when he went to the ground hard on his shoulder. He attempted to return to the game but came off the field quickly and was taken into the locker room. He was confirmed out shortly after and came out of the locker room wearing a hoodie withc a sling underneath.
Head Coach Zac Taylor was asked about Chase after the game regarding his status.
Week 16 Status
It hasn’t been reported as to whether Chase will have to miss serious time with the injury. It is possible that he could manage with a brace and pain management but this is certainly not a small injury. Without Chase, Browning would focus more on getting the ball to Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd as the former came up with some monster plays down the stretch against the Vikings.
Cincinnati might also try to emphasize the rushing game more now that Chase Brown and Joe Mixon have both proven themselves in recent weeks. Against the Vikings, Mixon scored two touchdowns on the ground and has been a crucial Cincinnati short yardage option.
From @NFLGameDay: DJ Reader is done for the season, and #Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase sprained his AC joint last night. In addition, Andy Reid, the coach of the Chiefs, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes were both penalized for their actions against referees last week. tweet.com/W9JMPrsae5
Cincinnati will play three of the best teams in the league in the last three games: Pittsburgh, Kansas City, and Cleveland. With their current record of 8-6, Cincinnati would be the second wild card and the sixth seed in the AFC if the season ended today.
