Bengals vs. Steelers: Ja’Marr Chase becomes first NFL player in 28 years to pull off this improbable feat

CINCINNATI — Ja'Marr Chase has had to catch passes from three different defenders this year and it hasn't slowed him down so far.

The Cincinnati Bengals' star wide receiver, who won the Triple Crown last season, is making history again this year. During the Bengals' 33–31 win over the Steelers, Chase caught a franchise-record 16 passes for 161 yards. This makes Chase just the second receiver in NFL history to have a 100-yard receiving game with three different starting quarterbacks in the first seven games of a team's season.

The only receiver to accomplish this was Jimmy Smith, who accomplished the feat with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1997. (His defensemen included Rob Johnson, Steve Matthews and Mark Brunell).

As for Chase, he surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark on Thursday night with Joe Flacco as his quarterback. Before breaking for 100 yards, Chase opened the Bengals' scoring in the second quarter with a short touchdown.

In addition to Flacco, Chase also had a 100-yard receiving game with Joe Burrow and Jake Browning as his starting running backs this season.

Burrow was the starter in Week 2, and although he did not complete the game, Chase rushed for 165 yards in a 31–27 win over the Jaguars. In Week 5, Browning was his starter and finished with 110 yards in a 37–24 loss to the Lions.

The Bengals started the season with Burrow at quarterback, but after Burrow suffered a toe injury in Week 2, they were forced to turn to Browning. However, Browning's experiment lasted only three weeks before he was benched in favor of Flacco, who was brought in to save the season after Cincinnati made a deal with Cleveland.

It doesn't matter who is under center in Cincinnati, as long as they can make the forward pass, Chase will counter them with more players.