All Eyes on Super Bowl as Ja’Marr Chase Is Done Chasing Personal Accolades
Ja’Marr Chase is done chasing personal goals. His only target right now is winning the big one. The Cincinnati Bengals’ wide receiver wants to win the Super Bowl.
It would have been impossible to envision Chase talking about the Super Bowl a few weeks ago. The Bengals had just lost
Despite Browning’s pedigree as one of the better backups in the NFL, the Washington graduate struggled to win games. The Bengals lost three straight games with Browning throwing 8 total interceptions.
So what changed since then in Cincinnati for Chase to aim straight for the football’s biggest prize? The answer lies in Joe Flacco‘s trade.
The Bengals shocked the football world by making a quarterback trade within their own division. Even though Flacco was benched in his previous team, the Cleveland Browns, the Bengals’ front office viewed the veteran journeyman as the ideal quarterback to lead the team.
Flacco’s first game as the starter ended in a defeat. However, there were signs that Zac Taylor and Duke Tobin‘s wild gamble may actually pay off.
Flacco threw 219 yards and 2 touchdowns on 29 completions. 10 of them went to Ja’Marr Chase for 96 yards and 1 score.
The 40-year-old maestro’s second game was even better. He threw 31 completions for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns. Flacco targeted Chase 23 times across the four quarters. Chase caught 16 for 161 yards and scored 1 touchdown.
The four straight losses prior to the win seem like they took place ages ago, and the smiles have returned in Cincy, especially on Chase’s face. The uptick in targets has raised his spirits, and he is ready to challenge for the Super Bowl in San Francisco next February.
“Super Bowl. That’s it,” Ja’Marr Chase said when reporters asked him if he had any more personal goals to take care of.
Q: What's the biggest number of catches you think you could get in a game?
Ja'Marr Chase: "26."
Q: Is that on the mirror (as a goal)?
Ja'Marr Chase: "No, no, no. No more goals are up. Super Bowl. That's it." pic.twitter.com/gfiU4xef73
— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe)
The Bengals are 3-4 and second in the AFC North. With the Baltimore Ravens rooted at the bottom of the division in the absence of Lamar Jackson , Chase and Co. have a great opportunity to qualify for the postseason. It’s only possible if they continue to win games.
Ja’Marr Chase stays humble despite breaking Jerry Rice’s record
According to Newsweek, Chase surpassed legendary San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice in the win over the Steelers. Chase broke Rice’s most 150-yard receiving games in his first five seasons.
It’s another feather in Chase’s helmet after securing the Triple Crown last year. However, the All-Pro wideout isn’t ready to compare himself with a Hall of Famer like Rice.
It’s cool [that I broke Jerry’s record], but I would never know what that is until you all tell me at the end of the day. It’s a cool opportunity hearing it, but I’ve still got a long way to go. That’s the goal, to go get a Super Bowl and a gold [Hall of Fame] jacket
Ja’Marr Chase said.
The 25-year-old is among the top receivers in football. After seven games, Chase has accumulated 58 catches on 80 targets for 629 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Proposed Trade Sees Raiders Land Former No. 7 Pick to Help Position of Need
In a lost season for the Las Vegas Raiders, many are ready to see the team embrace a rebuild and sell off their best pieces to the highest bidder. While 2025 appears to be a lost season, quick turnarounds aren’t impossible.
Even if the Raiders don’t get into the playoffs, a strong end to the season would make the vibes much better heading into the offseason. One of the key reasons for the team’s struggles has been offensive line play. There isn’t a single player in the group who looks like a long-term starter, outside of left tackle Kolton Miller, who is out with an ankle injury.
Right tackle has been an issue the Raiders have tried to solve for years, but haven’t had any luck. Evan Neal was highly touted coming out of Alabama in 2022, which led to him being drafted by the New York Giants with the No. 7 pick. However, injuries have derailed his career.
He hasn’t played a game for the Giants this season, and they declined the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. Neal doesn’t have a future in New York, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler listed the Raiders as a team that could trade for him.
“This feels like an ideal time to deal away Neal, the No. 7 pick in 2022 who has been inactive all season,” Fowler wrote. “The Giants’ starting offensive line finally feels settled, which would make parting with Neal easier, even if for just a late-round pick swap. Teams are always looking for offensive line help.”
Is Neal Worth Trading For?
Neal’s value has plummeted so much that the Giants might only be able to get a seventh-round pick or just a pick swap for him. There’s a good chance that Neal is a true bust and doesn’t have what it takes to play in the NFL.
That said, he was a very good player at Alabama and was named a Consensus All-American in 2021. The fact that he’s dealt with so many injuries has made his development tricky. It’s possible that there’s still some potential there in the right situation. Even if he ends up flaming out in Las Vegas, he wouldn’t be a bad player to take a flyer on.
Braxton Jones Also Listed as Trade Fit
Neal won’t be the only tackle possibly on the trade market. Fowler also listed the Raiders as a fit for Chicago Bears offensive tackle Braxton Jones.
“Rival teams agree that Jones is a sensible trade candidate after his benching in favor of Theo Benedet and his résumé as a multiyear starter in Chicago. Jones also is in a contract year, and he is now healthy following an ankle issue that plagued him for much of 2025,” Fowler wrote.
Jones has a lot of starting experience, but hasn’t been a huge impact player. Regardless, offensive linemen with experience aren’t easy to find this late into the season, so there should be interest. Neal might be more interesting because of his upside, but the Raiders could favor a more well-known commodity like Jones if they’re going to make a trade.
