EAGAN, Minn. (AP) 鈥 Ja’Marr Chase was asked this week if he felt emboldened enough to use Justin Jefferson’s signature touchdown celebration should he score for Cincinnati in Minnesota’s stadium, and the Bengals star had no hesitation in stating his desire to taunt his Vikings counterpart.
鈥淚f he doesn’t want me to do it,鈥 Chase said, 鈥渢hen I’m going to do it now purposely.鈥
Jefferson introduced the NFL to 鈥淭he Griddy鈥 as a rookie in 2020, the leg-hopping, arm-swinging, eye-circling dance he does as an ode to his home state. Chase actually picked it up first from a childhood friend and showed it to Jefferson and the rest of the team when they were together at LSU.
Now they’re friendly rivals of sorts, jockeying for unofficial position as the league’s best pass-catcher. Their teams will meet for just the third time, playing in opposite conferences. The Bengals won the first two games, both at home in overtime by 27-24 margins.
鈥淲ho knows what I鈥檒l do when I get in the end zone? Maybe I might get a fine this week. Who knows?鈥 Chase said.
Over the four-plus seasons since Chase was drafted by Cincinnati with the fifth overall pick in 2021, Jefferson has the most receiving yards (6,157) in the league with Chase (5,616) three spots behind him. Jefferson has the fifth-most receptions (414), and Chase is sixth (411). Last year, Chase won the receiving triple crown by leading the NFL in catches, yards and touchdowns while joining Jefferson on the Associated Press All-Pro team. Not that sharing such an honor made much of a ripple in their relationship.
鈥淚 just think we鈥檙e immune to it. We expect it from each other,” Chase said. “We鈥檝e been pushing each other for so long.鈥
With Jefferson and Chase and a whole bunch of other future pros, LSU won the College Football Playoff national championship in the 2019 season. Their quarterback, of course, was Joe Burrow, who became the first overall pick in the 2020 draft by the Bengals. Jefferson went 22nd.
Burrow just had and won’t get to catch up on the field this weekend with Jefferson, leaving Chase to lead the way for backup Jake Browning. Jefferson knows all about , with Carson Wentz stepping in this week after J.J. McCarthy . Wentz will be the seventh different quarterback to start for the Vikings in the last 30 regular-season games.
Those absences will make the Chase-Jefferson competition more than just a sideshow.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always extra when you have a player like that that鈥檚 top in the league just as well as I am,鈥 said Jefferson, who has just seven catches for 125 yards through two games. 鈥淥f course that competitive aspect is there, but at the end of the day, it鈥檚 about our team and it鈥檚 about winning. So as long as those two things are done, then I’m happy leaving that building.鈥
Vikings unsure, again, if Darrisaw will play
Left tackle Christian Darrisaw was listed as questionable by the Vikings for the game after being ruled out ahead of time last week, raising hope of his return from reconstructive knee surgery. Both the team and the player have made clear in this case that the weekly decisions have been collaborative and not simply a matter of the coaching and medical staffs exercising caution.
Darrisaw’s unorthodox stance puts his legs lower to the turf, which he acknowledged on Friday might put more stress on his knee. He said he’s comfortable wearing a brace, but in the overall picture of his agility, confidence and strength he hasn’t been quite there yet to declare himself back. Darrisaw said he feels like his status for the game on Sunday is truly a 50-50 situation.
鈥淚鈥檝e just got to trust my body, really be smart with it. It鈥檚 early in the year. When I鈥檓 ready, I know I鈥檒l be ready, and I鈥檒l be back out there,鈥 he said.
Left tackle Justin Skule and center Ryan Kelly were both ruled out with concussions, though each player returned to practice on Friday on a limited basis. If Darrisaw is again inactive, the Vikings would likely start either Blake Brandel or Walter Rouse with Bengals All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson looming on the other side.
The Vikings also listed safety Harrison Smith and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel as questionable to play. Van Ginkel (concussion) sat out the last game. Smith has yet to play this season, working his way back from a personal health matter.
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