Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins were the key cogs in the Bengals‘ comeback against the Ravens on Sunday, but it might have been Ja’Marr Chase who lit the fuse for a 35-point second half.
Cincinnati rapidly went from a 13-0 halftime deficit to a 35-13 victory, scoring five touchdowns in the second half as Burrow and the passing game caught fire.
After the game, Chase revealed how he inspired the team to pull itself together after an ugly first half.
Here’s a look at what Chase said.
MORE: How Jesse Minter decision backfired in loss to Bengals
Ja’Marr Chase’s halftime speech vs. Ravens
Chase told reporters after the win that he was “screaming” at his teammates at halftime.
“I came in here screaming, saying, ‘Somebody’s got to make a play for us, somebody got to make a play,'” Chase said. “And I told our offense we can’t look at our defense the whole time. We’ve got to step this s— up and make something work.”
“We gotta step this shit up.” Ja’Marr Chase kicked the team in ass at halftime “I was pretty angry coming into halftime. I didn’t like how we played. You know what I’m saying? We had 15 plays, maybe two or three possessions, and it didn’t go our way at all. We had opportunities to get the ball out our hands. Joe was getting too much pressure, and I came in here screaming, saying ‘we got to somebody got to make a play for us, and somebody got to make a play.’ And I told our offense, we can’t look at our defense the whole time. We gotta step this shit up and make something work. I’ve done it before, and I cried last time, but I didn’t cry this time.”
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) October 25, 2026
The Bengals struggled in every facet in the first half, getting shut out and allowing Tyler Huntley to throw for more than 200 yards as the Ravens controlled time of possession.
“I didn’t like how we played,” Chase said. “We had [19] plays, maybe two or three possessions. And it didn’t go our way at all. We had opportunities to get the ball out of our hands, and Joe was getting too much pressure.”
Chase said this wasn’t the first time he delivered an impassioned plea to his teammates, sometimes even to the point of tears.
“I’ve done it before, and I cried last time,” Chase said. “But I didn’t cry this time.”
The Bengals would prefer it doesn’t require halftime motivation for the team to come out looking inspired in a crucial divisional game, but they left Baltimore with what they came for and sent the Ravens to last place in the AFC North thanks in part to Chase.
MORE NFL:
