Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals perplexed by loss to L.A. Chargers

Nov. 18 (UPI) -- Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase said he doesn't know why the Cincinnati Bengals continue to collapse late in games. including their latest loss, 34-27, to the Los Angeles Chargers in prime time.

Chase totaled seven catches for 75 yards and two scores in the loss Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. He leads the NFL with 73 catches, 1,056 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.

"It don't really matter how good I perform at the end of the day," Chase told reporters. "Putting up all them numbers and losing is not good."

The Bengals (4-7) outgained the Chargers 452-435 in total yards. They also had a nine-minute edge in time of possession. They trailed 27-6 late in the third quarter before rallying to tie the score in the fourth, when Chase scored his second touchdown.

Bengals kicker Evan McPherson missed field goals from 48 and 51 yards, respectively, on the next two possessions.

Running back J.K. Dobbins then ended the Chargers' scoring drought by running in for a 29-yard go-ahead score with seconds remaining.

Chargers safety Derwin James sealed the victory by knocking down a Hail Mary pass attempt from quarterback Joe Burrow to wide receiver Tee Higgins as time expired.

The Bengals, who posted a winning record over the last three seasons and made the AFC Championship game twice during that span, were 0-3 to start the 2024 season. They rebounded with wins in three of their next four games, but lost three of their their most recent four. They are on bye in Week 12.

Through Sunday's games, the Bengals sit in the No. 10 spot in the AFC standings. They are in third place in the AFC North, behind the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2) and second-place Baltimore Ravens (7-4).

The Bengals' passing offense continues to hum, with Burrow posting the most passing yards (3,028) and touchdowns (27) in the NFL through 11 weeks. The quarterback also totaled just four interceptions so far this season, despite leading the league with 408 passing attempts.

The Bengals outgained their opponents in total yards in four of their seven losses. But in the critical moments, they continue to crumble.

Nearly all of their losses (6 of 7) included final margins of seven points or fewer. The Bengals held a lead in six of their seven losses and led in the fourth quarter in three of those instances.

"I don't know why we aren't finishing," Chase said. "I don't know what we are doing to give ourselves an advantage to finish."

Burrow, who completed 28 of 50 passes for 356 yards and three scores against the Chargers, called the 2024 campaign the most frustrating season of his football career. He said the Bengals "didn't make any adjustments," but improved on their execution during Sunday's rally.

He also took the blame for missing several throws down the stretch, including go-and-slant-route attempts for Chase. Burrow said he did not say anything to McPherson about his missed kicks.

"Just gotta make the plays," Burrow said. "Just gotta make the plays. We haven't down the stretch and we're not a good enough team. Our margin of error is slim so we gotta make those plays. I gotta make those plays. We all gotta make those plays."

Chase called out McPherson for his woes and said it wasn't his job when asked about the Bengals' play calling.

"He knows to make those kicks," Chase said of McPherson. "That's why we pay him those bucks, to make those kicks in crunch time."

Taylor said he "still has confidence" in McPherson, who made 83.9% of his kicks through his first three seasons, but hit just 71.4% of his 21 attempts this year.

McPherson's late-game miscues contributed to the Bengals being outscored 67-50 in the fourth quarter of their six losses by seven points or fewer. Taylor also said he can't explain the Bengals' late-game struggles, but still has faith in the roster.

"It's a team we believe in, a team that believes in each other," Taylor said. "It's sick, the way that these games are ending and the way we feel come off the field every week."

The Bengals will host the Steelers in another edition of their AFC North division rivalry Dec. 1 in Cincinnati. They will then play the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 9 in Arlington, Texas.

"What I just keep telling the team is that at some point this has got to help us," Taylor said. "At some point, we've gotta find some momentum, gotta get on a run and find ourselves in a good position where we've gotta reflect back. We don't ever want to use a loss for good, but it's gotta help us in some way.

"We've played some really good football teams. We've just gotta find a way to finish it. I keep saying that. Obviously, we are a play away every time I say it, but I've still got the confidence that we can get this thing done."