How can Bengals avoid slow starts? Ja'Marr Chase agrees more preseason action could make a difference

Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor has said the team may change its approach to playing stars in the preseason

The 2024 season wasn't just a disappointment for the Cincinnati Bengals, it was a historic disappointment. The Bengals became the first team in NFL history to boast the top passer, top wide receiver and NFL sack leader, yet missed the playoffs. Joe Burrow's 4,918 yards passing and 43 touchdowns set franchise records, while Ja'Marr Chase became just the fifth player since 1970 to capture the NFL's receiving triple crown with 127 receptions for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns. 

Cincinnati won its final five games of the season to finish 9-8, but its slow start was too much to overcome. The Bengals were upset by the lowly New England Patriots in Week 1, lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, and then were victims of Jayden Daniels' coming out party in Week 3 en route to an 0-3 start. These starts have become a common sight for Bengals fans. In Zac Taylor's six seasons as coach, he has won just one game in the first two weeks of any season. 

Imagine what this team could do if they actually hit the ground running for once. Chase has an answer. 

"Sounds like we need to play in the preseason, huh?" Chase said, per ESPN. 

Chase understands firsthand the importance of preseason preparation. Not only did he suffer through numerous drops in his first NFL preseason before eventually embarking on a historic rookie campaign that ended in a Super Bowl appearance, but his absence from last year's training camp amid contract negotiations clearly affected him. 

"I could say I wasn't mentally ready to be on the field," Chase said. "I was in my own head. You know what I'm saying? I wanted to play, but I was in my own head."

The Bengals usually do not play their stars in the preseason, but that could change this year.

"The one thing I do feel good about is playing our guys in the preseason," Taylor said. "That's always subject to change, depending on health and how things go with our team during training camp, but that's one thing that we've openly talked about with our players, and I think will help us as we do it."