Ja’Marr Chase got a measure of justice this week after the hit that left him with a concussion last Sunday. The NFL fined Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones for the facemask that set up the play, and the league tagged him with an $8,201 penalty.
Tom Pelissero of The Ringer reported the fine, writing, "The NFL fined Jaguars CB Jarrian Jones $8,201 for a facemask on Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase, who took another hit on the play and was ruled out with a concussion," Pelissero posted on X.
Cincinnati felt the ripple effect immediately. With Chase out and Tee Higgins eventually unavailable as well, the Bengals had to reshuffle the offense on the fly and still came up short at home, falling 22-17.
After the loss, Zac Taylor pointed to the way his team kept battling through the personnel chaos. "We just have to make it work.
No one wants to hear any reason why that wouldn't work, you know? We got an unbelievable coaching staff that can problem-solve," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said about the situation after the loss.
"The players understand it. I mean, you got a guy like Mitch (Tinsley), who just showed back up, and he's playing a lot of snaps for us.
He and Dohnte (Meyers) are the last two receivers we have left, and they're out there making plays. And all four of our tight ends that are out there are doing exactly what we need them to do to put us in position.
No one wants to hear it, but I am proud of the team for how they fought. There was a lot that went into that game.
"We're really disappointed that we lost. We're not that kind of team this year that's going to take consolation in the losses, but I am allowed to see the silver lining, and this team has a lot of fight.
If I get this team for 14 more weeks or 13 more weeks, whatever it is - I'm signing up for that all day, because we're going to have a great year. It's just disappointing that we didn't get this one."
The Bengals are trying to keep moving forward despite the injuries, and the schedule gives them a chance to do it. Miami is next tomorrow, and ESPN’s FPI has Cincinnati with the league’s easiest strength of schedule the rest of the way.
That kind of attrition is part of the grind in the NFL, but the Bengals are dealing with a stretch that has already tested their depth. Chase, listed as questionable, is being targeted to return tomorrow after the first concussion of his career.
The league fine may not erase what happened on the field, but it does put a number on the hit that helped derail Cincinnati’s night.
In Other News...
Bengals Have A Personal Mike Ditka Connection Fans May Not Know
Mike Ditkas death stirred memories around the league this week, and for Bengals fans, the reaction carried a personal note through a current player with a strong feel for the old-school game. Ditka, a Hall of Fame tight end, coach and broadcaster, left a towering legacy as one of footballs most recognizable figures, from his playing days to the 1985 Bears team that became part of NFL lore.
The Bengals connection surfaced through Ted Karras, who remembered Ditka after hearing the news. It was the kind of reminder that the NFLs past is never all that far away, especially when a player whose influence stretched across generations still resonates with someone on a current Cincinnati roster. [Read more 🡒]
JaMarr Chase Still Has One Big Week 5 Hurdle
JaMarr Chases Week 5 outlook has moved in the right direction, and for the Bengals that alone is a welcome development after a week of watching the injury report closely. Chase was listed as questionable along with Justin Jefferson, but his progress in practice has been enough to keep optimism alive, especially with other notable receivers around the league already being ruled out or, in some cases, cleared to play.
The remaining wait now centers on the final piece of the process, and it is the sort of detail that can shape Sunday availability even after practice has gone well. Cincinnati has reason to feel better about where this is headed, but until that last step is completed, Chase still has one more hurdle to clear before the Bengals can count on having him back in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Nico Collins Carries New Week 5 Pressure For Texans Fans
With the first bye week arriving, fantasy managers are already sorting through replacement options and trying to squeeze value out of every matchup. The lineup advice for this slate leans on recent usage, injury updates and game script, with players like Jameis Winston and Kyle Monangai getting attention because their roles and opponents line up well for Week 5 decisions.
For Cincinnati fans, the most relevant nugget sits on the other side of that DFS conversation, where Brown is drawing notice as a running back play with a favorable setup against Miami. The Dolphins have been a soft spot for backs all season, and the case for Brown rests on volume, scoring chances and the kind of offensive environment that can turn a steady workload into a big fantasy day. The only real question is how aggressive managers want to get in a spot that looks inviting, but still leaves room for one more surprise. [Read more 🡒]