Ja’Marr Chase Makes Outrageous Claim That Will Puzzle Browns Fans

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase believes this about the Bengals following their 16-10 loss to the New England Patriots

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) and Cincinnati Bengals halfback Zack Moss (31) tackle New England Patriots corner back Marcus Jones (25) as he returns an interception in the second quarter of the NFL game at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Kansas City Chiefs have won back-to-back Super Bowls and cemented themselves as the top dog in the AFC. But Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase doesn’t feel the same way.

Just a few days before the team’s trip to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Chiefs, Chase made a claim that grabbed the attention of fellow AFC North members.

“We are the team to beat in the AFC and we know it," Chase said. "We need to act like it, need to play like it."

It appears Chase didn’t learn his lesson after calling the Cleveland Browns the “elves” and dropping the line “Cleveland is Cleveland” before the Browns blew out the Bengals 24-3 to open last season.

Admittedly, it’s a bold proclamation coming from the receiver with his team less than a week removed from losing to the New England Patriots, 16-10.

"Everybody knows that. It's not no 'if', we are the team to beat in the AFC."

- Ja'Marr Chase

Bengals and Chiefs Sunday in Kansas City. pic.twitter.com/4kWpn839RO

— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) September 12, 2024

Listen, the Browns have their problems to worry about, and the AFC certainly doesn’t run through Cleveland. However, Chase may be out of his mind if he thinks the AFC runs less than four hours south.

To be the team to beat in a conference, you have to be able to win within your division. While the Bengals held the division crown in 2021 and 2022, quarterback Joe Burrow is 1-5 against Cleveland. There may not be a single Browns fan, let alone Chiefs fan, walking the streets that’s terrified to play the Bengals.

Instead of worrying if the AFC runs through Cincinnati, the Bengals may want to direct their focus on getting healthy and winning a game. Burrow is coming off a wrist injury that ended his 2023 campaign after week 11. He answered the worries by turning into Checkdown Charlie in week one.

Anything negative to be said about the Bengals is what Chase would classify as outside noise.

"We're not really worried about outside noise, all that noise y'all making and stuff, we see it, we hear it but we're not worried about it," Chase said Thursday.

The twenty-four-year-old may be better off attempting to find his groove on the field after missing most team activities before the start of the season. The star wide receiver searched for a new deal this offseason but has yet to receive it.

The league will find out if the Bengals are the team to beat when they match up with Kansas City at 1:00 pm on Sunday.

Either way, the Browns will have to face both squads. They’ll be up against the Chiefs in Week 15, in addition to their annual meetings with the Bengals.