NFL news: Bengals star slams team’s effort in loss

A frustrated Ja’Marr Chase put the Cincinnati Bengals on blast following the team’s 28-3 loss to the Denver Broncos on Monday night.

Chase had five catches on eight targets for 23 yards. But the Jake Browning-led offense failed to get much going during the night. Cincinnati had only nine first downs and was 2-for-11 on third down. The Bengals didn’t attempt to convert a fourth down.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) looks on after the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on Sept. 29, 2025.  (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)

The star wide receiver’s tough night coincided with a heated conversation with head coach Zac Taylor.

“Urgency is there, man, it’s just you gotta want it,” he told reporters, via ESPN. “At the end of the day, we gotta want it. Today, it didn’t look like we wanted it.”

Chase suggested he felt the team was “just giving up.” He downplayed the sideline conversation he had with Taylor.

The Bengals struggled in the last two weeks since Joe Burrow went down with an injury. Chase had five catches for 50 yards in a 48-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings last week.

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor responds to questions during a news conference after an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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“I’m always frustrated if I’m losing,” Chase added. “But it’s part of the game, man. Sometimes the emotions take over. Sometimes it looks like what it’s not supposed to. It happens.”

While Browning wouldn’t question the effort of his teammates, he lamented the lack of explosive plays the team has created in the last two weeks.

“The last two weeks just feels like we never really had momentum, haven’t really been explosive,” Browning said. “You’re fighting a hard battle with one arm behind your back when you end up in longer situations — second-and-long, first-and-long, leading to third-and-long. Good offenses don’t do that, so we need to clean it up.”

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) lines up for a play during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on Sept. 29, 2025. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)

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Cincinnati will welcome the Detroit Lions in Week 5.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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