‘I don’t call plays’ – Not for the first time NFL-leading Ja’Marr Chase can’t hide his Cincinnati Bengals frustrations

Frustration continues to build at the Cincinnati Bengals.

With a 4-7 record through 11 weeks of the 2024 NFL season, the team are now in real danger of missing the playoffs for a second-straight year.

But the Bengals are not being blown away each week. In fact, it has been a season full of one-score losses.

They have been defeated in six games by seven points or less, with the latest coming on Sunday night.

Cincinnati found themselves 27-6 down in the third quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers, but rallied back to tie the game early in the fourth.

Ja'Marr Chase, as usual, led by example, becoming the first player to top 1,000 receiving yards for the season

The star wideout came into the game leading the NFL in receiving yards, and added seven catches for 75 yards and two touchdowns taking his totals to 1,056 yards and 12 TDs.

But with all the momentum of an impressive comeback behind them, the Bengals missed two field goals that would have given them the lead, and the Chargers took full advantage.

J.K. Dobbins found the end zone with a 29-yard touchdown run, which came with just 18 seconds remaining, to clinch a wild 34-27 win.

Once again, the Bengals came up short, and the frustration was felt post-game.

Chase, standing at his locker with his arms folded, was asked why his team can't finish games.

"I play football on the field. I don’t call plays for us, so I can't really do nothing," he responded, suggesting that question should be directed elsewhere.

"I don't know why we're not finishing. I don't know what we're not doing to give ourselves an advantage to finish."

And this isn't the first time that Chase has shown his frustration after a tight loss.

When the Bengals fell 35-34 to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10, the star WR brought in an incredible 11 catches for three touchdowns and 264 yards.

His third TD set up what could have been a game-tying kick, but instead, Cincinnati went for two and tried to win it.

Quarterback Joe Burrow would probably have wanted to find Chase in the end zone again, but instead ended up targeting tight end Tanner Hudson, who couldn't bring it in.

When asked after the game if he felt the ball should have come to him, Chase offered another telling response.

"As a receiver you should want the ball yes, but sometimes Joe don't see it."

While some fans interpreted that comment as Chase throwing his QB under the bus, Burrow himself will undoubtedly be feeling the same frustrations.

Right now, the team are wasting his best season.

Burrow has become the first quarterback to pass 3,000 yards this year, and he has also thrown 27 TDs - leading the NFL in that stat too.

Yet the Bengals are 4-7.

Burrow is only the second QB in NFL history to lose consecutive games in which he had more than 350 pass yards, three passing TDs and zero interceptions - Matt Ryan in 2018 is the only other, per NFL Research.

Across Cincinnati's seven defeats, he has thrown 18 touchdowns and just two interceptions, and has a passer rating of 107.6.

With those numbers, Burrow should be in the 2024 MVP conversation. But instead, he is in real danger of missing the playoffs.

In recent years, Cincinnati's ability to close out games resulted in two of the most successful seasons in franchise history.

In 2021, the Bengals made the Super Bowl but lost to the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium.

One year later, they lost to Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game.

But things are a far cry from that right now. And the feeling of annoyance stretches far beyond Chase.

Facing questions after defeat to the Charges, Burrow was asked if this is the most frustrating season he's ever had.

"Yeah. It’s pretty self explanatory," he snapped back.

While Burrow and Chase continue to put up impressive numbers, the Bengals head into their bye week on a two-game slide.

Coach Taylor has suggested wholesale changes should not be expected, but if results don't improve in December, that position may soon change.

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