It was Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase who ignited the comeback on Oct. 25 after trailing 13-0 at halftime. The Bengals went on to win 35-13 over the Baltimore Ravens with a dominant second half.
Chase is known for leading the Bengals to victories with his eye-popping catches. But this time, it was his leadership in the locker room that proved to be why the Bengals came from behind and beat their AFC North rival.
Following the Week 7 win over the Ravens, it was revealed that Chase gave a passionate speech at halftime demanding more from the offense.
“Well, I was pretty angry coming into halftime” Chase said following the game. “We had (19) plays, maybe two or three possessions. And it didn’t go our way at all. Joe was getting too
much pressure, and I came in screaming saying, ‘somebody got to make a play.’ I told the offense we can’t look at our defense the whole time, we gotta step this (expletive) up and make something work.”
Chase’s words struck a chord with his teammates, and they answered his call. The Bengals scored touchdowns on all five of their possessions in the second half before the starters were taken out.
Cincinnati played lights out on offense following Chase’s halftime speech.
“I think it was needed in that moment,” Chase said.
Chase doesn't speak up often. That’s why it resonates with his teammates when he does. He picks and chooses his spots on when he wants to speak up and typically uses his play on the field as his main source of leadership.
Over the course of the last two seasons, Chase has evolved from an incredible talent at his position to an invaluable locker room presence. He’s one of Cincinnati’s most competitive players who brings out the best in his teammates.
“Ja’Marr’s speech in here really fired us up,” offensive tackele Amarius Mims said. “I saw it in his eyes, man. We’re not going to leave here without a win. I’ve always said when No. 1 talks and gets that fire in front of him, everyone needs to shut up and listen. He’s not only the best receiver in the NFL but probably one of the best players in the NFL, so when a guy like that talks, you shut up and listen. It’s very important, and we all need to hear it. It worked; we came back and scored 35 straight points.”
Chase has learned the balance of when to say things publicly and when to keep things in house. Early in his career, Chase didn’t really think twice about what he said in pre or postgame interviews.
He’s growing as a leader in the locker room, and his teammates have the utmost respect for him.
It was a relatively quiet day at the office for Chase on the field − by his standards. He caught five passes for 62 yards and one touchdown. Fellow receiver Tee Higgins carried the load for Cincinnati, catching six passes for 148 yards and one touchdown.
Afterward when asked about Higgins’ performance, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was quick to praise Chase for the way he conducted himself at halftime.“I thought Ja’Marr’s leadership was as good as it’s ever been for our whole team at halftime just getting everyone focused,” Taylor said.
The Bengals knew a loss to the Ravens would make things challenging in the AFC North. Burrow indicated as much when he said that 0-2 in the division wouldn’t be ideal. And when the Bengals needed a spark to keep their season from slipping away, the Bengals got exactly what they paid for in Chase – just in a different way.
Cincinnati made Chase the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL when they gave him a four-year, $161 million contract extension in March 2025 that will keep him in Cincinnati through the 2029 season. The deal gave Chase $112 million guaranteed upon signing.
He’s more than lived up to the expectations with his performance on the field. Cincinnati knew what it was going to get from him for years to come, and that’s why it paid him.
And now the Bengals are getting even more than they could have hoped for from Chase as they continue on their quest for another Super Bowl season.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: How Ja’Marr Chase’s halftime speech ignited Bengals in win over Ravens
