Ja'Marr Chase did indeed play against the New England Patriots after an eventful training camp with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Unfortunately for him, the New England defense, particularly cornerback Christian Gonzalez, rose to the challenge to slow down the high-powered offense in a 16-10 win for the Patriots.
With just 224 yards of total offense, Chase felt that the Bengals left plenty of chances to thrive offensively behind.
"Just wish we had more opportunities to make plays," Chase told reporters, per Cincinnati Bengals Talk. "...It's obvious. Turnovers. We gotta get first downs and move the ball."
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Chase, who hauled in six passes for 62 yards, had his biggest impact on a 28-yard catch and run in the third quarter. Despite the big gain, the star wideout felt that play had a chance to turn the tides against the Patriots.
"Joe threw me to slow me down," Chase recalled. "I feel like I had an opportunity to make a play and probably score. He slowed me down with the ball. Thought about protecting myself as I was getting hit. That's what he threw it like that."
When asked about the "frustrating" part of the loss, Chase highlighted the Patriots defense forcing a three-and-out with under five minutes remaining in the game. New England's offense ran out the clock from there to seal the win.
The Patriots look to go 2-0 when they host the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 while Chase and the Bengals hope to get right, though they face an elite test against the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Featured image via Katie Stratman/Imagn Images