Dec 31, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Side judge Allen Baynes (56) separates Kansas City Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed (38), left and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1), right, in the second quarter during a Week 17 NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kareem Elgazzar-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs
CINCINATTI — The Bengals/Chiefs rivalry keeps getting better.
In a Christmas Eve battle that eliminated Cincinnati from playoff contention and crowned Kansas City as Division Champs, tensions were at an all time high.
In the second quarter, Ja’Marr Chase and Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed exchanged some words that resulted in a shoving match and a heated scuffle.
Chase spoke to reporters on the altercation:
“”I started it off,” Chase said via ESPN. “Their whole defense was mad at me. It started at the beginning of the game. You’ve seen it. Everybody’s seen it. That’s just what I like to do. I just be under people’s skin sometimes. M-fer won’t fight me so it’s alright. … Just trash-talking. Can’t handle it.”
Sneed was anything but amused by Chase’s actions, and after the game had pointed words for the wideout:
“We had some words. I went up to him after the game, told him ‘good game. But you know, check the stats.”
The stats? Three receptions and 42 yards.
According to Next Gen Stats, Sneed was Chase’s primary defender, as he covered him on 21 of his 34 routes — 61.8 percent — and conceded only two receptions for 27 yards on three targets.
The 23-year-old phenom who was in the headlines this week after he told reporters last week that there was “nothing” that stood out about Kansas City’s secondary.
“They got a good front, that’s it.”
With the win, Kansas City claimed its eighth consecutive AFC West title — the second-longest streak ever in the NFL.
