Ja'Marr Chase makes NFL history in Bengals playoff win

Cincinnati Bengals rookie receiver Ja’Marr Chase is a part of NFL history. Chase recorded five catches for `109 yards in a 19-16 victory against Tennessee in the divisional round of the playoffs Saturday.

The first-year player is now in a league of his own as the only rookie in NFL history to record multiple 100-plus yard receiving games in the playoffs. He had nine receptions for 116 yards the week prior against Las Vegas.

The victory was also historic for the Bengals, as it marks their first trip to the AFC Championship in 33 years. Fellow rookie Evan McPherson kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired to secure the win.

The fifth overall pick out of LSU, Chase has had quite a successful NFL debut. He finished the regular season with 1,455 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns, both of which led all rookies. The receiver immediately proved himself the favorite target of quarterback Joe Burrow, whom he played with in college.

Twice this season Chase has posted more than 200 yards receiving, including a 266-yard, three-touchdown performance against Kansas City. His total receiving yardage from this season is the second-most from a rookie in league history. Saturday against the Titans, more than half of his yardage came from one 57-yard catch.

But Ja’Marr Chase setting NFL history wasn’t the only reason the Bengals won. In fact, it was the defense that would end up the stars after intercepting Tennessee quarterback Ryan Tannehill three times. The offense didn’t even score its first touchdown until the third quarter, when Joe Mixon ran it in from 16 yards out.

Chase and Burrow won a national championship together at LSU in 2019. Now their first year together in the pros, they will play for a conference title. The Bengals are set to take on the winner of Sunday’s game between the Chiefs and Bills next week with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.