National Football League

Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase continue to smash records in rout of Ravens

Updated Oct. 24, 2021 11:57 p.m. ET

The Joe Burrow-Ja'Marr Chase connection is as strong as they come.

It's a short-lived professional relationship — the two have only suited up alongside one another for seven NFL games, but they've quickly become one of the best pass-and-catch duos the league has to offer.

And that's in large part due to chemistry that predates their minuscule NFL tenure.

Burrow and Chase have enjoyed substantiated excellence since their college days at LSU.

Through Chase's two seasons with Burrow in Baton Rouge (he opted not to play during a 2020 season interrupted by COVID-19), he pulled in 107 receptions for 2,093 yards and 23 TDs. A consummate big-play threat, Chase constantly had defenders on the chase as he averaged a whopping 19.4 yards per reception.

And when Cincy reunited Chase with his old pal by selecting him with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft, the tandem began producing more of the same big-play heroics.

The only difference: The former LSU Tigers are now doing it as Bengal Tigers.

After a rocky preseason start in which questions surrounding a slew of drops engulfed Chase, the rookie WR began a stretch unlike any the league has seen.

When the games counted, Chase was reliable as ever, opening the regular season with a five-catch, 101-yard game in a closely-contested win over Minnesota. He added his first professional score in the contest.

Since then, Chase has quickly established himself as one of the scariest deep threats in the league.

And what Chase did to the Ravens on Sunday was the stuff of pure football genius.

The rookie had Baltimore's secondary looking silly all day long, carving up its back line for 201 yards on eight catches and a TD.

It took a while for the Bengals to get going, until Chase sparked his squad with 30 seconds remaining in the first half. He disposed of Marlon Humphrey with a smooth catch-and-run, putting his team into adequate field position for three, and allowing Cincy to take a 13-10 lead going into the break.

The Bengals unloaded on Baltimore's secondary in the second half.

Burrow was untouchable. He racked up a career-high 416 yards on 23-for-38 passing, uncorking three TD throws — two to tight end C.J. Uzomah and another to Chase on an 82-yard game-breaker.

But it was Chase who did most of the grunt work en route to pay dirt.

That has been the way this season has gone for Burrow, Chase and the Bengals, who improved to 5-2 after the 41-17 rout, tied for tops in the division with the Ravens.

Chase, meanwhile, is reigning over the league in an unprecedented way.

Following the 200-yard outburst, Chase now has the most receiving yards for any player through his first seven career games in the Super Bowl era. His 754 yards smashes the mark of 621 that Anquan Boldin set in 2003.

Chase is the first rookie since Mike Evans in 2014 to register a 200-plus yard game. He now has his 12th game of 100-plus receiving yards with Burrow as his passer dating back to their college days (four of those went for over 200).

Thus far, the two are on pace to blast through the NFL record for most career yards between college teammates at QB and pass-catcher. The current mark is held by Marc Wilson and Todd Christensen (BYU), who compiled 2,581 yards together with the Raiders.

This record — and many more — are squarely in the focal lens of Burrow and Chase. This duo is up to something unparalleled in Cincy.