Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase Shades Chiefs' Secondary: 'They Can't Do it 1-on-1'

Another matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals means another round of trash-talking and bulletin board material.

Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase told reporters on Thursday that the Chiefs' secondary lacks the top-end talent to defend him one-on-one.

"I know what I see on paper and I know what I see in the game," he said ahead of Sunday's game. "That's why they double everybody. Because they can't do it one-on-one. … It's not like they've got a superstar on their defense."

Chase was also specifically asked about safety Bryan Cook, and he said he didn't know who that was before adding Cook isn't as good as former Bengals safety Jessie Bates III.

The rivalry between Kansas City and Cincinnati has turned into one of the notable ones in the league of late thanks to their success and multiple playoff matchups. They faced each other in the last two AFC Championship Games with Joe Burrow and the Bengals taking the first and Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs taking the second.

Unfortunately for Cincinnati, it was unable to win its Super Bowl during the 2021 campaign thanks to a loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Kansas City took advantage of its victory over the Bengals and defeated the Philadelphia Eagles for the Lombardi Trophy last season.

There has been no shortage of trash talk between the two teams.

Whether it was Bengals players calling Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium "Burrowhead," Tyreek Hill and Eli Apple going back and forth when they were still on the two respective teams, or Travis Kelce calling out Cincinnati's mayor, there are seemingly always storylines outside of just the game.

Add Chase's latest comments to the list.

Both teams need a win, as the 8-7 Bengals are outside the playoff picture and looking in with Burrow sidelined by injury. Kansas City still leads the AFC West, but it is 2-4 in the last six games and looks disjointed on the offensive side of the ball.

The matchup between the Chiefs' secondary and Chase will now be even more under the spotlight, but whether Mahomes and Co. can bounce back from recent struggles may be the biggest factor in how the game is decided.