Cincinnati Bengals are stronger than the Chiefs – Ja’Marr Chase makes bold claim ahead of Kansas City showdown

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase says his team are the best in the AFC as they prepare to face back-to-back Super Bowl champions Kansas City on Sunday.

The Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in Las Vegas back in February to extend their dominance of the NFL.

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But Chase, whose Bengals were beaten in the Super Bowl in 2022 and lost the AFC Championship game to the Chiefs a year later, says his side remain the best in the Conference.

“Everybody knows that, bro,” Chase said. “It’s not ‘if.’ We are the team to beat in the AFC. And we know it. And we gotta play like it, too.”

Always a fun one with these guys. pic.twitter.com/onR9l1uYtU

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) September 12, 2024

Last year, the Bengals missed the playoffs after quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury in Week 11, and last week they lost to New England 16-10.

Should the Chiefs win at their Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, it would mean the Bengals will start the season with an 0-2 record for the fifth time in the past six seasons.

The Chiefs won their opener 27-20 against the Baltimore Ravens last week.

“All that noise y’all are making and stuff, we see it, we hear it,” Chase said. “But we’re not worried about it, you know what I’m saying? At the end of the day, it’s about the team and what we’re doing on the field.

“The outside people are not on the field, telling us what to do on the field. I’ll let them stay outside and make their own comments.

“The energy’s there on both sides. I’m sure they know we don’t like them. They know they don’t like us. So the energy’s already there.”