Bengals Ravens Pregame Quick Hits Week 10 2024

BALTIMORE _ Three-time Pro Bowl Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, the only player with multiple 160-yard games against these Ravens, is coming off last month's 193-yard rush and isn't quite sure why has plenty of success against one of the NFL's traditionally toughest defenses heading into Thursday night's game at M&T Bank Stadium.

He knows that it is the defense that gets him the most tackles.

“You and Cleveland probably, yeah,” Chase said this week. “They trust their DBs, we trust our receivers when we get opportunities one-on-one.”

Pro Football Focus shows Chase performing at his best against Marlon Humphrey, one of the better cornerbacks in the league. PFF charged him for Chase's 41-yard touchdown catch last month and for Chase's career-long 82-yard catch-and-run touchdown three years ago in his 201-yard game here in the Bengals' 41-17 win.

Last month, Chase hit a 70-yard screen pass for a touchdown when linebacker Malik Harrison was blocked on the perimeter and Chase raced past Pro Bowl linebacker Roquan Smith. This game is a big reason why Chase is third in the league in yards after catch.

This game also gave him 10 career receiving touchdowns of at least 60 yards, the most in the league since he was a rookie in 2021. He also has the most touchdown catches over 50 with 11 and over 40 with 15, but he hasn't had a catch longer than 13 yards in the last three games.

Chase said he's seen mostly shell coverage since last month's game against the Ravens. Even though wide receiver Tee Higgins (Quad) is doubtful and has missed the last two games, Chase is still thinking “man” after Higgins had 83 yards and two touchdowns against the Ravens.

“There will be a little twist just because tea is canceled or last minute,” Chase said. “We'll see how that goes. But…probably…I think, man, probably (with) what's going on in Baltimore.”

Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki reunites with his old friend Ryan Fitzpatrick as the Amazon Prime crew meets to call Thursday's game. Fitzpatrick, the former Bengals quarterback who played with Gesicki in Miami, stopped by the Bengals' hotel the morning of the game. Gesicki was reminded all week of Fitzpatrick's role the night Ted Karras saved his life when all three were playing in Miami.

Or the lack of a role when Gesicki choked on a piece of steak during an offensive dinner at Karras' home in Fort Lauderdale.

“I had a fillet and the first bite got stuck in my throat. I was in complete panic,” Gesicki said. “Fitz was in full daddy mode. He has seven children and changed immediately. 'Hey buddy. You'll be fine. Put your arms over your head.' And I think, “Fitz, I'm not feeling well, I'm dying, and putting my arms over my head won't help.” Ted saved me. He didn't know what he was doing, but he saved me.

Karras knew enough to grab him from behind and squeeze to dislodge the flesh. Karras didn't know it, but he had just performed the Heimlich maneuver, named after Cincinnati physician Henry Heimlich.

“It comes full circle,” said Gesicki. “My ribs hurt the next day. It lasted 30 to 45 seconds, and when you can't breathe it seems like 30 to 45 minutes. It was serious, but after a while we got into an argument about it.”

There's nothing funny about that. But it was four years ago, and so Fitzpatrick endured some heartache over his presumptuous advice.

Also visiting the hotel was Amazon host Andrew Whitworth, the former Bengals Pro Bowl left tackle. He brought his very tall 12-year-old son Michael, a fairly polite young man, who shook his hand and revealed that he was a left winger.

“Look at his feet,” Big Whit said, and Little Whit isn’t that little.

The funny thing about that 201-yarder against the Ravens when Chase was a rookie. He missed the walkthrough the day before the game.

“I missed a whole meeting, came in around 10 a.m. and then attended the game in Baltimore. That was the last time I was late, though,” Chase said. “That was the best game I had all season and I was late so they said it was cool, but I know for a fact it wasn’t cool.”

In fact, Chase had a better game this year with 266 yards rushing against the Chiefs. But the point was clear. Rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton was reportedly benched last Sunday because he missed Saturday's walkthrough.

“It’s just a rookie year. When you get up you have to know what time it is, and that’s how it was for me,” Chase said. “I wasn't used to getting up early and knowing the scheduled times.

“I won’t speak for him, but you know it’s going to happen. They live and learn.”

Head coach Zac Taylor has indicated that Burton will play on Thursday.

It's a matchup of quarterbacks who have scored five passing touchdowns in the last four NFL games. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had two this year, one against the Ravens, and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had one this year and one last year…

Chase isn't exactly blown away by Gesicki's performance on “The Griddy” after his two touchdowns last Sunday, even though Gesicki asked him to join in.

“I want to forbid him from doing that, Griddy. Yes, I do. I’m not going to lie,” Chase said. “In the middle of the dance I started laughing too hard. It's much funnier to watch in person than on video. I’ll try to get him to do the original soon.”

“He’s running. He’s running.”

When he was told that Gesicki, a New Jersey native, may have made “The Jersey Griddy,” Chase wasn't convinced.

“The jersey? No. That’s just Gesicki Griddy,” Chase said. “That’s what they call it.”