Ja'Marr Chase fires back at claims Bengals-Bills game would have ended differently in a dome
Earlier this week, former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie made a sweeping claim about last year’s AFC Divisional Round game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The game took place in Buffalo amid a January snow storm, and the Bengals won 27-10.
If the game was played somewhere else — say, in a dome — McKenzie thinks things would’ve gone differently.
“The Bengals ran basic routes, maybe we should’ve did that, ran basic routes,” McKenzie said, via Sports Illustrated and All Bengas’ Russ Heltman. “Like out routes, go balls, you know, instead of running routes that you have to be going lateral or coming back to the football, or turning and running curls and things like that. If we were in a dome it would have been a totally different game.”
It’s safe to say that didn’t sit well with Ja’Marr Chase. The former LSU star had never played in the snow before that day, and he took to Twitter to respond in kind to McKenzie’s remarks.
“My first time ever playing ina snow bro,” Chase tweeted. “Just gotta play at the end of the day roun.”
The Cincinnati offense looked strong in that game, totaling 412 yards of total offense despite the rough conditions. Joe Burrow had an impressive showing, throwing for 242 yards on 23-of-36 passing and two touchdowns to lead the attack. Chase was his top target, as usual, with 61 yards and a touchdown to his name.
Buffalo didn’t fare as well, though, despite having home field advantage. The Bills had 325 total yards, but Josh Allen threw for more than Burrow did. He had 264 passing yards on 25-of-42 passing, but threw an interception and didn’t throw for a touchdown. He scored Buffalo’s lone touchdown on a quarterback sneak, though.
McKenzie had two receptions for 10 yards in what turned out to be his last game with the Bills. Over the offseason, he signed a deal with the Indianapolis Colts.
Cincinnati ended up seeing its season come to an end the next week against the Kansas City Chiefs in a 23-20 loss thanks to a last-second field goal by Harrison Butker. The Bengals are now preparing to start the 2023 season Sept. 10 against the Cleveland Browns. As for the Bills, they start the year with a primetime matchup against Aaron Rodgers and the new-look New York Jets Sept. 11 on Monday Night Football.
The two teams will square off in a rematch Nov. 5 when Buffalo travels to Cincinnati. That game will also reach a wide audience as NBC will broadcast it on Sunday Night Football.