'Old Me Would've Been In My Head' - Ja'Marr Chase Moving Forward With Veteran Mentality After Slow Week 1

Chase is ready to help the team any way he can in Week 2.

Sep 13, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Zyon McCollum (27) during the third quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ja'Marr Chase knows full well how to compartmentalize and move on from low-production games in Year 6 as an NFL star. His two-catch, 12-yard outing in the Bengals win to open the season was the hot topic during Chase's latest press conference.

It didn't matter to him because the team got the win, and he knows how much attention he commands. On to the next week, where he's highly unlikely to post a low-stat-impact outing again. Chase only has four career games with less than 20 receiving yards.

He could get cooking downfield in a big way this week as the Texans defense deals with big-time injury issues.

"The old me would have been in my head and not been more mentally into the game anymore. You know what I'm saying?" Chase said on Thursday. "But now I'm trying to stay more into the game. Whether it's two catches in one quarter and I don't see it until the fourth quarter, I still got to be ready. You know what I'm saying? It's just like (Andrei) Iosivas and the rest of the other guys that don't normally have the ball every other down. You know what I'm saying? I just gotta be prepared to have my number called."

The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. reminded Chase that after his lowest-production game ever against Denver a few years ago, he immediately rattled off 18 catches for 391 yards and three scores in the next two weeks.

Uno will be fine.

Chase knows it's gonna be another test to try to break through the Texans' defense this week. He lit them up for five catches, 123 yards, and a touchdown in 2023.

"They definitely have a very great defense," Chase said on his podcast this week. "We just gotta take an opportunity to make the most of them. You know what I'm saying? They got a great defense, great DBs, great secondary, both corners. You know what I'm saying? Good safety; I'm not sure about them up front. I know Sheldon Rankin's over there. He played with us at one point, so I know he's pretty good."

Cincinnati has a lighter practice on Friday before Chase and the team hit the flight to Texas for what many consider to be the top NFL game this weekend.

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