Six key players ruled out for Bengals game at Pittsburgh Steelers
CINCINNATI Ja’Marr Chase will not play against the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
Rapoport said Thursday that head coach Zac Taylor ruled him out for the game after he suffered an AC joint sprain (separated shoulder) in the Bengals overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings Saturday.
Rapoport said Monday sources told him Chase is expected to be sidelined for the Steelers game and “it could extend beyond that” following an MRI on his shoulder.
The Pro Bowler could be seen having issues with his shoulder before he left late in the fourth quarter.
Chase has played every game so far this season, recording 93 receptions for 1,156 yards and seven touchdowns.
Chase was listed as a DNP at Tuesday’s practice. Head coach Zac Taylor said the team will continue to “take it day-to-day with Ja’Marr,” seeing how things go ahead of Saturday
Chase isn’t the only Bengal who was injured on Saturday. Defensive tackle DJ Reader and rookie corner DJ Ivey are out for the rest of the season after the two were carted off the field with knee injuries. Taylor said Reader has a torn quad tendon, while Ivey suffered an ACL injury.
The Cincinnati Bengals will have to continue their fight for a playoff spot this weekend without the services of Ja’Marr Chase.
Chase will miss Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers after suffering an AC joint sprain during their Week 15 win over the Minnesota Vikings — a game he did not finish. The wide receiver leads the Bengals with 93 receptions, 1,156 yards and seven touchdowns.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor had said on Monday Chase was day-to-day, but an MRI showed the extent of the damage, and after missing three practices this week he is now considered week-to-week.
The 8-6 Bengals are currently the sixth seed in the AFC playoff picture with the 7-7 Steelers right behind them in the AFC North.
Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins will now be Jake Browning’s main receiving weapons as the Bengals face the Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Cleveland Browns to finish the regular season.
“You’ve got to have weapons to be successful in this league,” Taylor said. “We’ve always known that and so again, it’s not always going to be perfect.”
Despite showing promise in the preseason, Malik Cunningham languished on the practice squad and never got a chance to be the Patriots’ quarterback during the regular season, ultimately leaving New England when the Ravens signed Cunningham to their own active roster. Patriots offensive tackle Trent Brown says the players in the locker room wish Cunningham had been given a chance.
Asked by AtoZSports.com if he thought Cunningham deserved more of a chance to play, Brown said the whole team thought that.
“Absolutely,” Brown said. “Everybody on the team did. Everybody.”
Cunningham only got on the field in one game for the Patriots this season and didn’t throw a pass. Given how poorly the Patriots’ offense has played for most of this season, it’s a surprise that Bill Belichick never gave Cunningham the opportunity to show what he could do. Brown said he thinks the Ravens will develop him as a quarterback behind Lamar Jackson.
“It’s funny because I told him months ago if they ever called, if anybody, that’s the team where he should go,” Brown said about the Ravens. “It was almost like I saw it coming. . . . And that’s really good for him to actually get a real chance to play his real position.”
Brown expressed frustration that Cunningham spent most of his time on the practice squad at positions other than quarterback, despite playing well when given the chance to play quarterback in the preseason.
“I mean, probably the most exciting drive we had in that stadium was against Houston in preseason games this season,” Brown said. “Like, my guy couldn’t even get a red jersey.”
In a year when almost everything has gone wrong with the offense in New England, Brown wonders why Cunningham didn’t get the chance to provide a spark.
