Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase confident in team's status as AFC contenders

Despite a Week 1 loss, Bengals star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase believes his team is still the one to beat in the AFC. Chase and his teammates are eager to prove themselves on the field against the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2.

Despite a disappointing Week 1 loss at home to the New England Patriots, Chase is confident that his team is still the one to beat in the AFC.

"We are the team to beat in the AFC," Chase said Thursday ahead of Cincinnati's Week 2 road game in Kansas City. "We know it, and we gotta play like it, too."

Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase confident in team's status as AFC contenders

Chase added that he's "not worried" about the outside noise after the Bengals' surprising loss at home to New England in Week 1. In that loss, Chase led the Bengals with six receptions for 62 yards.

The Bengals are coming off a 9-8 season in which they missed the playoffs, in large part due to star QB Joe Burrow's season-ending wrist injury in November. Burrow is expected to be back under center for the Bengals in Week 2 against the Chiefs.

As for its Week 2 opponent, Cincinnati and Kansas City have frequently crossed paths of late, with the Bengals a combined 3-2 in head-to-head matchups (2-1 in the regular season, 1-1 in the postseason) since 2021; the Bengals' Week 17 loss to the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium this past season came with Burrow sidelined.

Chase feels that the rivalry between the two teams is genuine.

"The energy's there [on] both sides," he said. "I'm sure they know we don't like them. They know they don't like us. So the energy's already there.

"There's not really much we got to say now to this point. It's been four years now, so everyone gets it."

Chase is one of the most talented young receivers in the NFL. He was a Pro Bowler in each of his three full seasons in the NFL, and he has two seasons remaining on his rookie contract.

The Bengals are hoping to get a long-term deal done with Chase before the start of next season. However, the two sides have not been able to reach an agreement on a new contract.

In the meantime, Chase is focused on helping the Bengals win games. He knows that the Bengals have a tough task ahead of them in Week 2 against the Chiefs, but he is confident that his team can get the job done.

"We just gotta go out there and play our game," Chase said. "We know they're a great team, but we're a great team too. We just gotta go out there and play our game and see what happens."

The Bengals and Chiefs will kick off at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.