Ja'Marr Chase: Bengals going through 'must-win sport' towards Pittsburgh Steelers – Cincinnati Enquirer

Cincinnati Bengals broad receiver Ja’Marr Chase has been recognized to shoot down the concept of must-win video games, together with in the course of the 2025 season. That made it noticeable when he underscored the significance of the Bengals’ Nov. 16 sport towards the Pittsburgh Steelers by agreeing that it was a must-win contest.
Talking throughout a Nov. 13 information convention at Paycor Stadium, Chase remarked on the importance of the journey to play the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium (1 p.m.), saying: “Yeah, it is a must-win if you wish to win the AFC, 100%.”
A win would give the Bengals (3-6) a season sweep of Pittsburgh (5-4) after profitable the Oct. 16 shootout between the teams. It could additionally pull Cincinnati to inside one sport of the division-leading Steelers within the AFC North standings whereas a loss may drop the Bengals to 3 video games again within the divisional race.
Cincinnati is coming off its bye week, having dropped high-scoring video games to the Chicago Bears Nov. 2 and the New York Jets Oct. 26 going into the break.
Prior to now, Chase had dismissed the concept of must-win video games. However not this week.
“I feel it might be good simply to get our momentum again after these previous two video games we misplaced,” Chase mentioned. “Simply realizing the sensation of the way it feels to lose and win, realizing after some video games we have been imagined to win, so, you realize, simply having that feeling of dropping, I feel we do not need to really feel that once more so we all know we have got to have a mindset to win this sport as a result of that is the place we need to be within the AFC.
“You may’t method one other sport in another way as a result of it is a must-win sport. You have to method the sport the identical.”
Eight video games stay for Cincinnati in 2025. On paper, that is sufficient time to climb again into playoff competition so far as the divisional race is anxious. Playoff hopes may dim and the video games will nonetheless be consequential, although, as wins and losses may very well be a figuring out consider whether or not quarterback Joe Burrow returns from harm in 2025.
Burrow made his post-surgery return to observe Nov. 10 and indicated it might be significant to him to play within the staff’s Thanksgiving evening primetime sport on the Baltimore Ravens. Each Burrow and head coach Zac Taylor mentioned a number of elements can be contemplating in any doable return by Burrow. It has been speculated the staff’s file may very well be one of many elements.

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