Archdeacon: Chase and Burrow — Samurai in Stripes

“I was like, ‘I don’t know about guns, guys!’” quarterback Joe Burrow said after he and his Cincinnati Bengals had topped the Cleveland Browns, 24-6, Sunday at Paycor Stadium.

“So, I was in the weapons mindset, and I was like ‘What’s a cool weapon?’

“Samurai swords, I thought, are pretty danged cool and Nicole, who works for me, was able to go out and find them for me.”

The 12 swords — some which date back to the 1500s — came from a California collector who reached out to other collectors to meet the unusual request, and each weapon came with a letter on its history.

“(Nicole) did a great job finding the best ones out there and the guys were excited about it,” Burrow said with a nod of satisfaction and a smile.

But the truth is, if he wanted to find the best weapon out there — at least where he is concerned — he just needed to look some 70 feet down the row of locker stalls to his right in the locker room.

That’s where you’ll find receiver Ja’Marr Chase, a gridiron samurai with more weapons than just a sword.

Together, Burrow and Chase make up the best pass and catch duo in the NFL this season and Sunday they both made league history.

Burrow became the first NFL quarterback ever to throw for 250 yards and three touchdowns in seven games straight.

And one of those TD throws came in the first quarter as he was parallel to the ground, about to faceplant after being tripped, only to make a two-yard toss — Houdini like, Chase called it — to Tee Higgins for the score.

With one more touchdown pass this season — the Bengals host Denver on Saturday and close the regular season a week later on the road against Pittsburgh — he’ll become just the 11th NFL quarterback in history to throw 40 TD passes in a season.

With six catches for 97 yards and a 32-yard touchdown reception on Sunday, Chase broke his own franchise record for receiving yards in a season and now has 1,510.

He currently leads in the NFL in receiving yards, catches (107) and touchdown receptions (16.)

Burrow leads the NFL in passing yards and touchdown throws.

‘People fear us’

The duo is a big reason Cincinnati has risen from the dead this season and now, at 7-8, finds itself still with an outside chance of making the playoffs after starting the season 0-3 and, at one point, after three straight losses in late November and early December, being 4-8.

In a span of 12 days, they then won three games in a row, two of them on the road.

While the Burrow to Chase connection has been the Bengals biggest single advantage, the team also has seen its defense finally start to make some plays and it’s been bolstered by the way young players have stepped up and made game-impacting contributions.

“I feel like were the most dangerous in the NFL (now),” Chase said after the game. “People fear us.”

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

The Samurai stoked those same emotions in ancient Japan and, like them, Chase gets universal respect from his adversaries.

Sometimes it’s for his surprising strength — from the waist down he’s built like a thick-legged running back — and other times it’s for his sports car speed and his sure-handed — sometimes one-handed — pass-catching abilities.

Midway through the fourth quarter, he caught a pass along the sidelines and Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. grabbed his face mask to try to stop him.

Instead, Chase spun, pulled free of the illegal tactic — which was penalized — and was on his way.

With the flag, he advanced the ball 19 yards to the Browns’ 3-yard line.

Asked how defenders react to such plays, he smiled:

“They usually say, ‘Damn, you a strong son of a B!’:

In response, he said: “I just start laughin’. Usually I got my (gem affixed) grills in my mouth and I just smile at ‘em!”

Chase’s 32-yard touchdown catch came with just 1:44 left in the game and he admitted he initially opted to stay on the sidelines, so a younger receiver could get some time to shine.

After serving as a decoy on a previous play, he said he told receivers coach Troy Walters: “Troy, I’m good. Let Jermaine (rookie Jermaine Burton) get a little PT (playing time).’

“I was looking out for Jermaine. But (Troy) was like, ‘the second play is Whiskey, you might want to take this play.’ And I was like ‘Alright fine.’

“So I went out there and it was just nothing but God at that point that it got called.”

Chase sprinted down the sideline on what was a free play after a Browns penalty and, thanks to a perfectly thrown Burrow pass, he made an over-the-shoulder catch in the end zone that left cornerback Cameron Mitchell defenseless.

‘Every tool to be great’

When he was drafted out of Louisiana State University — where he and Burrow first became a history-making tandem — Chase promptly announced he intended to break every Bengals’ receiving record there was.

At the time, it sounded like an unknowing rookie’s over-the-top boast.

Now just four seasons into his career — and still just 24 — Chase likely will rewrite three of the Bengals top receiving records this season: most receiving yards, most catches and most touchdown receptions.

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Chase showed up at Sunday’s postgame press conference wearing expensive, but purposely torn at the knees jeans, a “God’s Chosen: cap, an Andemars Piguert Royal Oak watch — many of the Swiss-made pieces sell for anywhere between $500,000 to over $1 million — and a diamond highlighted fleur-de-lis pendant on a chain that pays homage to his New Orleans roots.

If it was meant to be a designer’s take on a rags to riches motif, it would mirror the story of the Bengals now.

Chase talked about the playoffs, specifically how being the AFC champions should be the standard for his team every season.

His personal goals he writes on post it notes he keeps in easy view to challenge himself.

He wouldn’t tell all the goals he’s posted — “Can’t tell you that, Bro!” he said when I asked — but he admitted the three categories he leads the NFL in are on there, as is being named All Pro.

Around the locker room Sunday, one player after another commended Chase for the multitude of talents and traits that make him the ultimate weapon in the NFL

“I’ve never seen anyone with the ball move further away from defenders than he does,” said center Ted Karras, who’s in his ninth NFL season. “Every single time he catches the ball I’m expecting him to take it to the house.

“I’ve never been with a player like that!”

Guard Alex Cappa was more impressed with his might than his mobility:

“Everyone knows he’s fast. Everyone knows he has ball skills, and they know his route-running ability. But to me, it’s his strength. He’s strong. Really strong. He finishes every play because he’s so hard to bring down.

Second year receiver Andrei Iosivas — who caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Burrow in the second quarter Sunday — focused on Chase’s smarts.

“He works hard. He has great hands and is great after a catch. But I most respect his high IQ.

“That’s definitely overlooked, and it’s what sets him apart. That and his work ethic.

“He has pretty much every tool to be great.”

Burrow was the most expansive when asked about Chase. He talked about his “day in, day out” consistency. How he never misses a practice and is disciplined:

“He’s a great guy for young guys to come into the building and watch him go to work every single day and learn from and take a little from. He’s been that way since I’ve known him.”

When Burrow finally left the locker room, he did so with Chase at his side.

Watching the noticeable camaraderie they shared — with the ease in their conversation and occasional laughter — there was little hint that they are the most lethal pass-catch combo in the NFL this season.

They were two samurai at rest.