Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said Friday that he disagreed with star wideout Ja'Marr Chase's recent assessment of the Kansas City Chiefs defense.
Chase said Thursday that he wasn't impressed with Kansas City's defense.
Ja’Marr Chase had quite the edge after practice today addressing reporters. Said Chiefs don’t have anyone that stands out on defense. “It’s not really like have a Jalen Ramsey on their squad.” pic.twitter.com/1kurBwcOLF
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 28, 2023
"Ja'Marr's a confident guy... I wouldn't say that. I think they have one of the best defenses in football." Zac Taylor on Ja'Marr Chase's comments from Thursday.
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 29, 2023
The Chiefs (9-6) host the Bengals (8-7) in Week 17 at 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday in a contest with heavy implications on the AFC playoff picture.
This isn't the first time that Chase has been involved in a war of words ahead of a matchup against the defending Super Bowl champions.
In December 2022, Kansas City safety Justin Reid said he would "lock down" Cincinnati wide receiver Tee Higgins in the Week 13 showdown. Reid later clarified on social media that he meant to say tight end Hayden Hurst, whose name he couldn't remember.
The Bengals two-time Pro Bowler then shot back at Reid on X, then known as Twitter. The defensive back finished the game with three solo tackles. Chase recorded a game-high seven catches for 97 yards, while Higgins had three receptions for 35 yards and one touchdown. Hurst posted only two catches for 12 yards, but Cincinnati won the AFC Championship Game rematch.
The teams met again in January's AFC title game, and this time, the Chiefs got revenge with a 23-20 win.
Chase is questionable for Sunday's game due to a shoulder injury.
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