Why wasn't Ja'Marr Chase targeted more in the Bengals' loss to the Patriots in Week 1?

Looking at the Week 1 lineup, it's fair to assume that few, if any, thought the New England Patriots could defeat the Cincinnati Bengals. Yet that's exactly what happened, and at Paycor Stadium. Needless to say, the investigation has begun, and the team's star wide receiver gave a pretty candid answer to one aspect of the loss that caused astonishment: his lack of accuracy.

The Patriots defeated the Bengals, who in turn defeated Ja'Marr Chase

There were plenty of games scheduled for Week 1 on Sunday, but none were more surprising than the Bengals' 16-10 loss to the Patriots. Consider that the Pats finished 4-13 last season, while the Bengals finished 9-8. Of course, as we all know, that's just any Sunday, and looking back, it wasn't Cincinnati's. In quarterback Joe Burrow's first game since his season-ending surgery last November, the Bengals' offense seemed out of sync.

Understandably, the idea of ​​Burrow's starter Ja'Marr Chase taking the field for the first time since he spent the entire season waiting for a new contract only made the situation worse. On the other hand, that's not to say Chase played poorly. He just didn't get to play much. In total, Chase scored 62 yards on six attempts, while the Bengals only managed 224 yards on offense in the loss. Not what you'd expect considering how much hype there was about Burrow's return. To be honest, the Bengals didn't get a first down until midway through the second quarter. Additionally, the team only managed one touchdown drive in the entire game. This can be attributed to the Pats' stingy defense – see above – but the scenario still raises questions.

A question was actually asked to that effect, and it was asked of Chase himself, who, it must be said, was a late addition to the game after initially being placed on the injured list due to illness. When asked why he only saw six targets, the fourth-year pass catcher answered bluntly: “You'll have to ask Zac. [Taylor]”, said Chase. The 24-year-old also revealed that he suffered food poisoning on Saturday, which was the obvious reason for his injury rating. Without putting too much weight on his few words, it's safe to assume that Ja'Marr Chase was not happy. Was his lack of service intentional? That seems unlikely, but so is the idea that it was tactical in nature. If he wasn't up to the task, why did they let him play?

Regardless, the Bengals have a history of slow starts, as evidenced by their 1-5 record in season openers under head coach Zac Taylor. However, the team will have to recover from this defeat very quickly, as the next game is against the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. As for Chase, there's no official word yet on when/if a contract extension will be offered, but since he's one of the best wide receivers in the league, you have to assume a salary is in everyone's best interest. This is even more true considering how the wide receiver market has played out in the offseason, with players like Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb receiving huge contracts. Stay tuned.