The rematch takes place Saturday at Paycor Stadium and while both players were limited in practices this week, both are expected to play. Jefferson suffered a chest injury in his return Sunday from a hamstring injury, and Chase injured his ankle on his first catch last week against the Colts.
Chase doesn’t think injuries will play a factor. In his mind, the score is already settled between him and Jefferson, his teammate in college at LSU.
“I feel like I’m the best,” Chase said. “I don’t feel like we’re the two best. I feel like I’m the best.”
Statistically, Jefferson, who was drafted No. 22 overall in 2020, actually might have the better case, but there are other factors impacting the numbers.
Jefferson holds the record for most receptions (324) and yards (4,825) in a player’s first three seasons, and Chase is currently sitting at 10th and seventh, respectively, on those lists and still climbing amid his third year. He should surpass A.J. Green for most in Bengals history on Saturday, needing just three to tie his 260 catches.
It’s possible Chase, who has played eight fewer games than Jefferson did over his first three years, could catch Jefferson on the list of most touchdowns through a player’s first three seasons, but he needs eight touchdowns over the final four games to do so. Jefferson is fourth on that list with 36 and Chase is tied in seventh with 29.
Chase has his own reasons for believing he’s the best. He said he’s always put himself above everyone else, but when asked what separates him from Jefferson, he was more specific.
“My yards after catch,” Chase said. “I’m more of a running back threat. That’s what people may say.”
Chase came into the league with higher expectations placed on him as a No. 5 overall pick in 2021. Jefferson went much later in the first round in 2020, but Chase said he always knew Jefferson would do well in the league, especially with his speed and “twitchy” moves.
The two have held a friendly rivalry since Chase got to the NFL, though they’ve met on the field just once in that 2021 opener. Chase was the better player statistically that day, but for him, the individual performance was more of a validation he deserved that high draft position.
After struggling with dropped passes throughout training camp, he washed away any concerns of carryover in his NFL debut when he caught a 50-yard touchdown pass to Joe Burrow in the second quarter en route to a 101-yard day on five receptions. Jefferson had five catches for 71 yards.
That was Chase’s first game since the 2019 national championship season with LSU. He sat out the 2020 COVID-impacted season before entering the draft.
“It was a relief for me, for myself, just knowing what I’ve been through, knowing that it was a long way off sitting out a whole year and then being criticized so hard, to be the player I am today,” Chase recalled of his NFL debut. “Just a relief of just proving people wrong.”
Chase is hoping for the better performance Saturday, too, as the Bengals seek a third straight win to try to stay in the playoff hunt. He doesn’t need to remind Jefferson he’s the better receiver, but he might text him not to score a touchdown Saturday. So far, they haven’t spoken this week, though they communicate frequently about non-football things.
“Nah, that’s pointless,” Chase said. “We do this every year with each other. So it’s pointless at that point arguing back and forth.”
Chase concedes that Jefferson made his job easier in college — they helped each other in that way.
Now Jefferson can help Chase again when it comes to raising the bar on top receiver contracts. Jefferson didn’t get an extension done with the Vikings last offseason, and Minnesota picked up his fifth-year option for 2024.
Chase is eligible for an extension after this season, and both are expected to reset the market for their position, but who ends up the highest paid could come down to who signs first.
“I’m not talkin’ nothin’ about no contract yet,” Chase said. “I don’t know nothin’ yet about what’s gonna happen. I do need to see some more numbers from [Jefferson], though. Tyreek Hill got us there, but he gonna get me there, too.”
SATURDAY’S GAME
Vikings at Bengals, 1 p.m., NFL Network, WCPO Ch. 9; 700, 1530, 102.7, 104.7
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