Denver CB Patrick Surtain II limits Cincinnati WR Ja’Marr Chase in premier matchup
The approach vs. the highest-paid receiver in the NFL could be condensed to two words.
“Game plan was Patrick Surtain (II),” Denver defensive back Ja’Quan McMillian said. “Limited him and got the job done.
In many ways, this was a true one-on-one, the receiver who led the league in catches, yards, and touchdowns last year against the cornerback who is the NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year.
It was a one-sided battle for No. 2 in blue and orange.
Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase caught just five passes for 23 yards in Denver’s 28-3 drubbing of the Bengals Monday night at Empower Field. Only one of those catches for eight yards came when he was covered by Surtain.
“It does mean a little more, as a matter of fact,” Surtain told The Denver Gazette after initially claiming this was just another opponent. “Most definitely. But I always think about me vs. me at the end of the day. No matter who I go against, I got to line up, make sure of my technique and that I’m on my Ps and Qs.”
The question for Surtain and the Denver defense now becomes, can it maintain this high bar as it will see four of the NFL’s top seven receivers (as measured by salary) in a span of five games?
Chase, who led the NFL with 127 catches for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns last year, is at the top of that list, earning $40.25 million this year according to spotrac.
Next week it will be A.J. Brown of the Eagles, who ranks seventh in earnings at the position ($32 million). Then it’s the New York Jets’ Garrett Wilson (fifth, $32.5 million). The Giants, on Oct. 19, don’t feature a receiver making elite money, but Wan’Dale Robinson has 18 catches. After that CeeDee Lamb and the Dallas Cowboys will visit Empower Field at Mile High. Lamb, who has averaged 114 catches over the past three seasons, ranks third among receivers at $34 million.
Chase was one of many elements of the Bengals’ Joe Burrow-less offense that showed little spark in a night it gained 159 total yards (by comparison, Denver put up 513), failed to reach the end zone, and didn’t even pass midfield after a long opening drive ended with a field goal.
Still, could this be a template to work from over the next month?
Surtain won’t treat anybody differently, because that’s not where his focus lies.
“I just think it’s my preparation,” he said, “my technique.”
