CINCINNATI
Storyline of the week
Chase’s drops: With QB Joe Burrow making his big return from injury in the preseason finale, fifth overall pick and Burrow’s former LSU teammate WR Ja’Marr Chase naturally got the quarterback’s only target. And Chase dropped it, abruptly reverting back to the same problems that plagued his second preseason game, when he dropped all three targets – on third-down attempts. This one was a simple bubble screen gone awry despite Chase having a superb week of practice with no issues. Bengals coaches won’t rotate Chase out by any means, but it could signal more targets than expected for WRs Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins.
Rookie watch
The Bengals brought back RB Samaje Perine to spell Joe Mixon, but it’s sixth-round rookie Chris Evans who looks like he’s going to get most of the rotational work. He’s had a stellar training camp and preseason, with a 29-yard touchdown reception in Week 3. It’s Evans, not Perine, who appears ready to assume the Giovani Bernard role in the offense.
– Chris Roling, Bengals Wire