Bengals Ja’Marr Chase has High Praise for Browns Denzel Ward
Ja’Marr Chase was excellent as a rookie in the NFL, he looked like a seasoned vet. Chase had 1,455 receiving yards in his first season as a pro and was essentially a tough cover for everyone. One player stood out that he has to go up against, however.
In a week 9 matchup where Cleveland Browns defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 41-16, Denzel Ward gave Chase all he could handle. Chase had six catches for 49 yards. What stood out was the 99-yard interception return for a touchdown that Ward returned on a pass intended for Chase.
"The first main person I really started to study was that freakin' cat from the Browns, [Denzel] Ward," Chase told the media. "I like his game a lot. He's so good and so patient. He doesn't get beat often, and when he does, he gets beat with his eyes.”
“He is really patient, and that's one of those tendencies that doesn't really show on film, so you have to watch his tape real, real close to find out everything you can on him. He's the one guy I watched a lot of film on after the first meeting."
The two players will have plenty more matchups down the road. Both athletes are near the top of their position groups when it comes to talent, and square off twice a year in the AFC North. One thing is for sure, Ward will have to come prepared as Chase has been studying his game.
Brandon Little is a writer for Sports Illustrated’s Browns Digest website and you can follow him on Twitter @BrandonLittleFB here. You can follow Browns Digest on Twitter here.
