Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase Shades Browns Before W1: 'I Was About to Call Them the Elves'

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is ready for the team's Week 1 matchup against the Browns, and he's sick of the talk about the team's recent struggles against Cleveland.

"It's a regular game to me. It don't feel no different," Chase said. "It's just the hooping and hollering about the Cleveland Browns. I was about to call them the elves. ... I don't really hear it. If you ask me, I don't really pay attention to it because Cleveland is Cleveland."

Browns star Myles Garrett was quick to acknowledge Chase's comments while speaking with reporters on Friday:

The Bengals defeated the Browns 23-10 in their last matchup in December 2022. However, Cleveland has dominated Cincinnati of late, winning five of the last six matchups dating back to September 2020.

Despite the lack of success against the Browns, the Bengals have been the better team in each of the last two seasons, winning the AFC North and reaching the Super Bowl during the 2021 season and the AFC Championship game last year.

The Browns, meanwhile, haven't reached the playoffs since the 2020 season, though that could change in 2023 with quartetback Deshaun Watson fully available.

We'll see who gets the last laugh when the Bengals and Browns kick off on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.