Ja’Marr Chase Wants To Start Sunday On Single-Season TD Record
September 11th, 2026
How will the Bucs stop Ja’Marr Chase?
So Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase is on a Hall of Fame track. Actually, he’s on a greatest-of-all-time track.
Chase has five seasons of 1,000 or more yards to start his career. In fact, he’s got 6,837 yards in those five years. That’s about 1,350 per season.
Chase also won the “triple crown” of receiving in 2024, leading the league in catches (127), yards (1,708) and touchdowns (17).
On Sunday, Chase will set out to terrorize Bucs cornerbacks that aren’t exactly on his All-Pro level.
In case Zyon McCollum and Jacob Parrish aren’t aware, or Benjamin Morrison (gasp!), 26-year-old Chase is locked in and he told SiriusXM NFL Radio he’s got a couple of personal goals for this season.
“The only thing for real, like personal goal-wise, more yards this year but it’s not really nothing too crazy — and probably breaking the touchdown record for most [in a season],” Chase said. “I think it’s what, 22?”
Chase was off by one TD catch. Randy Moss has the single-season record of 23 with Tom Brady and the Belicheats in 2007.
“… It’s possible, it’s a possible chance, man, but that comes with a lot of consistency. So that’s gonna be the biggest thing for me this year going forward is to show a lot of consistency.”
Ahh, “consistency,” that’s been the trouble area for Bucs cornerbacks the past couple of seasons, especially McCollum.
So how exactly will Todd Bowles to try and contain Chase? Fellow Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has 21 touchdown catches over the past two seasons. He’s a problem, too.
Huge test coming for the overhauled Bucs defense on Sunday. It’s almost an unfair task for a lot of guys playing together for the first time.
September 11th, 2026 at 11:51 am
We better have al big time pass rush or it’s not gonna be pretty.
September 11th, 2026 at 12:04 pm
Pass Rush has to feast!!!…
Zac Taylor will abandon the run early if we can shut it down…play tight coverage with the CBs and keep the safeties deep…that will minimize the explosive plays from Chase and Higgins…
Very worried about the CBs…Parrish gives up height against Tee and size/strength against Chase….a couple catches against Zyon and his confidence may shatter
Pass Rush and Run game will be key….
27-17 BUCS!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
September 11th, 2026 at 12:05 pm
“Ahh, “consistency,” that’s been the trouble area for Bucs cornerbacks the past couple of seasons, especially McCollum.”
Hyperbole, he finished 2024 as the 7th best CB in the league allowing the 9th lowest QBR when targeted, 5th lowest completion percentage when targeted, & tied 3rd for the most PBUs with 17 when targeted. The campaign on this site to talk about McCollum like he’s Myron Lewis or Sabby Pisctelli is kind of weird Joe.
Literally broke out in 2024 when his position was stabalized. Does the whole getting back to 2024 levels only speak for the offense?
September 11th, 2026 at 12:06 pm
Who’s the Bengals backup QB? Cause he will be playing starting the second half! Let’s go!!
September 11th, 2026 at 12:25 pm
Chase won’t be getting the ball if Burrow is on his back.
September 11th, 2026 at 12:40 pm
I have been saying for quite awhile McColumn is not a starting cb. I expect Chase is licking his chops as are Cinn coaches. I expect McColumn will be picked on early and often. Hopefully the pass rush helps. However Burrow is good at unloading the ball quickly. I really like Parrish, but he is smaller, is in his first year at outside and will have his work cut out for him.
The Buc ‘s secondary is the weakness on this team . I think the Bucs will need to score at least 30 to have a chance. I would not be surprised to see Burrow win it at the end marching down the field on McColumn. I hope I am wrong, but all we have is last year and last year he was maybe the worst cb in the league.
September 11th, 2026 at 12:43 pm
Cheeta Hill was saying this before the 2024 season if I’m not mistaken. How did it turn out?
Go Bucs!
September 11th, 2026 at 12:50 pm
I will keep saying it. You can not expect this young defense to stop Cincy consistently. They most likely score in every other possession. Let’s say (average 11) Cincy gets 11 offensive possessions and score on 5. 3 TDs and 2 FGs. That’s 27 points and very doable for the Bucs.
The key to this game is limiting their possessions by running the ball effectively and converting 3rds.
If the offense doesn’t do that and Cincy gets 2 extra possessions, and scores another TD on one of those, that’s the difference between holding them to 27 vs 34.
Sure the defense needs to get a pass rush and do their part, but these game will 100% come down to sustaining drives, maybe going for a couple 4th downs and limiting their possessions.
September 11th, 2026 at 12:51 pm
Our CB don’t a chance against Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins if we don’t step up our pass rush.
September 11th, 2026 at 12:55 pm
I noticed the point spread has been Cin -3.5 and hasn’t changed at all.
That means there is close to equal money coming in on both sides of that bet.
I believe the Bucs have a chance but I don’t like the match-up between Burrow, Chase and Higgins against our suspect CBs and I think the odds makers see the same…
Our HC is undefeated week 1 (since 2022).
I hope that trend continues.
Cheers!
September 11th, 2026 at 12:58 pm
My hunch is that Chase will consistently whip whoever is in front of him on Sunday. My hunch is Bowles will have his corners consistently 7, 8, 9 yards off the ball. The Bucs secondary better consistently tackle well or it will be a very, very long afternoon in Cincy for them. I hope ZM isn’t bored on Sunday, as he consistently was last season. While I expect a better pass rush I still have ZERO confidence in Bowles and his defense overall, esp going up againt Burrow, Chase and Higgins. Bengals usually start off slow and sluggish. But they have to be licking their chops to play against this consistency BAD Buc secondary.
September 11th, 2026 at 1:04 pm
Hope Parrish covers him.
September 11th, 2026 at 1:26 pm
He may break the single season record in week one against bowles dumb ass defense.
September 11th, 2026 at 1:48 pm
My guess is safety bracket coverage on both those WR’s with a corner underneath. We’ll see how Bowles chooses to cover those 2.
Or not cover. We shall soon see!
September 11th, 2026 at 2:07 pm
I think it’s great foe the Bucs D to be really challenged this first game: find out early what it’s going to take to be winners this season.
September 11th, 2026 at 2:17 pm
Wouldn’t it be amazing if Thurst breaks out with 2 or three touchdowns to start his own rookie record setting campaign? What will make it better is when Zyon holds Chase to 7 receprions for 45 yards!!
September 11th, 2026 at 2:31 pm
Going to be a lot of yelling in Tampa2ATL’s living room this Sunday.
September 11th, 2026 at 3:25 pm
Hope the Bucs can pull off a win. Im not really expecting it. If they lose there will be a bunch of people screaming that the season is over, but everyone has to remember it’s just one game. Besides in both seasons that we won Super Bowls we lost the first game of the season.
September 11th, 2026 at 3:34 pm
See you soon Chase
September 11th, 2026 at 3:51 pm
I have PTSD of the pass defense. I thought he was trying to set the single season record all in week 1.
September 11th, 2026 at 4:26 pm
Different year same bucs defense plus the two that are gonna get hurt in the first game. Time is coming for a the talk to be over with and show what you are gonna do bucs