The Jacksonville Jaguars will face the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4. One key to winning the game will be to stop star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase. Just before the game, head coach Liam Coen heaped praise on him, but it looks like the respect doesn't go both ways.
Travis Hunter is coming off a jaw-dropping showing against the New England Patriots and will only see his role increase in the upcoming weeks. He'll most definitely be a big part of Jacksonville's defensive game plan against Cincy, but don't tell Chase, who doesn't have much to say about the former Heisman Trophy winner.
Ja'Marr Chase has nothing to say about Jaguars WR/CB Travis Hunter
Ja'Marr Chase met with the press corps ahead of the Jaguars game. He was asked what he thought about Travis Hunter. His response, or lack thereof, raised eyebrows.
When @Ben_Baby asked about Travis Hunter’s growth from Year 1 to Year 2, Ja’Marr Chase literally had nothing to say. pic.twitter.com/LJSeCPQrPi
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) October 1, 2026
After an akward silence, Chase limited himself to saying, "That's all I got."
More often than not, you'll hear players praise their opponents when they're about to play. This is why Chase's reaction was odd. Unless you're inside his head, it's hard to tell why he chose to react that way. Did the Pro Bowl receiver truly have nothing to say, or was that a sign that he's not concerned about Hunter?
Either way, you can bet that Hunter and the Jaguars will use that as fuel in the game. After all, they've had a history of turning the mildest slight into bulleting-board material since Laim Coen took over.
Last year, then-San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said that Coen did a good job of stealing signals legally. Similarly, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton referred to Jacksonville as a small-market team. In both instances, the Jags used the remarks as a rallying cry in both games and won.
Don't be surprised if Coen uses a clip of Chase reacting to Hunter to motivate his team this time around.
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The Jaguars were incentivized to beat the Bengals before Ja'Marr Chase's slight
The Jaguars are a 2.5-point underdog for this upcoming matchup, meaning that bettors believe this could turn out to be a close game, and understandably so. Trevor Lawrence is playing at a top-10 level, but so is his Bengals counterpart Joe Burrow. On top of that, Cincy bolstered both the offensive and defensive line in the offseason, so Jacksonville could have their work cut out.
On the other hand, the Jags are healthier ahead of the game, and their wide receiver corps could have a favorable matchup. Nickel corner Jalen Davis and his backup Ja'Sir Taylor are on the Injured Reserve list. That's forced the Bengals to move Dax Hill from the boundaries to the slot. That will present several intriguing opportunities to Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, and tight end Brenton Strange.
Of course, Cincinnati is also loaded at receiver, with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in the mix. That said, the Jaguars have enough talent on defense to slow down the duo, and you can bet they'll be incentivized to make sure Chase has something to say about Travis Hunter in the aftermath.
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