Bengals News (10/15): Ja’Marr Chase in reach of big milestone

Sunday's Hot Spots: Ja'Marr In Reach Of Bengals, NFL Milestones; O-Line Makes It Comfortable For Joe Burrow As It Eyes Seattle Rush; Higgins, Awuzie Game-Time Calls
One number Chase should get in his 34th career game is 23 yards, which would make him the fifth player in NFL history to reach 3,000 career receiving yards in 35 or fewer games. He'd also become the 18th Bengal to have 3,000 yards. This season he's already passed wide receiver Pete Warick, tight end Jermaine Gresham, and running back Giovani Bernard on the all-time list while running back James Brooks waits with 3,012.

Game Within The Game: The Evolution of Cam Taylor-Britt Right On Time
At a couple of junctures last Sunday during the win in Arizona, Taylor-Britt was the oldest guy in the secondary of the second-youngest team in the NFL. His 11-yard pick-six in the last belches of the first half got the Bengals righted as the game buckled and it symbolized just how quickly Taylor-Britt has gone from clock-challenged rookie to grizzled playoff pro playing right on time while assigned to the other team's best receivers.

What Bengals said before facing Seahawks: Chase responds to DK
“This is the perfect song for this question right here,” Chase said with a laugh as music blared in the background. The song? That would be Drake’s “IDGAF” (feat. Yeat).

Seahawks vs. Bengals referee will be Adrian Hill
The last game the Bengals had Hill as the referee was their 34-23 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Dec. 18 in which Joe Burrow threw for four touchdowns.

Bengals’ DJ Turner ready after practice vs. Chase, Higgins, Boyd
“A lot of times the big learning curve for a rookie comes in the games,” Turner said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “When it comes to the Bengals, I’m not going to see three better receivers and the quarterback we have. My learning curve could have happened in camp. I’ve gone up against Ja’Marr Chase, I’ve gone up against Tee Higgins, I’ve gone up against Tyler Boyd. I’ve seen Joe Burrow. It’s really helped me mentally to where in games I see it harder in practice. That’s a blessing.”

Bengals fans will love expert’s take on whether Joe Burrow is back
Most Cincinnati Bengals fans would probably agree that Joe Burrow looked nearly back to his normal self during last week’s win over Seattle, which helps boost the confidence that he’ll continue to improve.

Around the league

Brock Purdy looks like true franchise quarterback for 49ers; Bill Belichick on borrowed time with Patriots?
Although naysayers will attribute his success to San Francisco's scheme and stellar supporting cast, it is hard to ignore a quarterback with an unblemished record (10-0) as a regular-season starter and sparkling individual statistics in 2023: 72.1 percent completion rate, 9:0 touchdown-to-interception ratio, 9.3 yards per attempt and a league-best 123.1 passer rating.

NFL Week 6 bold predictions: Josh Allen, Bills' D set records; C.J. Stroud finally throws first interception
Josh Allen posts eight touchdowns against the Giants, breaking the NFL record for most scores in a single game. The current league record stands at seven TDs, with four quarterbacks hitting that number since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger: Drew Brees (Week 8, 2015), Nick Foles (Week 9, 2013), Peyton Manning (Week 1, 2013) and Mark Rypien (Week 11, 1991).

2023 NFL Offensive Player Rankings, Week 6: Weighing what's next for three slumping offenses
Over the past two weeks, Bill Belichick suffered the two worst home losses by margin of his career. His New England Patriots were shut out by the New Orleans Saints in Week 5, while quarterback Mac Jones turned the ball over three times and the offense compiled just 156 yards.

Week 6 NFL picks: 49ers, Eagles stay perfect; who wins Cowboys-Chargers showdown Monday night?
Why Dan is taking the Bengals: There is a scenario where the Seahawks run the ball down the Bengals' throat and earn a decisive win. That is how most of Cincinnati's contests have played out so far. Joe Burrow and Co. put themselves in an early hole this season, while Seattle did the opposite. Maybe that plays to the Bengals' favor here because the hole gets considerably deeper if they lose on Sunday. They would be 2-4 heading into a bye before they have to visit the currently undefeated 49ers. I'm assuming the sense of urgency will be at least a little higher on Cincinnati's sideline and that Burrow is indeed trending in the right direction.