CINCINNATI — Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase leads the NFL in receptions, yards and receiving touchdowns through 11 games. The three-time Pro Bowler returned to his hometown during the bye week. Chase went to see the New Orleans Pelicans play the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.

Here’s the problem for the Bengals: Chase’s price was always going to go up next offseason due to the nature of the market. They knew that. But it doesn’t help that he’s flirting with a Triple Crown and his agent is openly celebrating how easy he’s making the job for his reps.

With their postseason hopes on the line, the Bengals came out flat on both sides of the ball in Cincinnati’s Week 11 loss to the Chargers. The team rallied in the second half and had two different chances to take the lead in the final minutes, but resorted back to the team they’ve been all year and couldn’t finish.

In so many ways, that chart — and this season for Pitcher and everyone remotely connected to the Bengals offense — symbolized what they’d been growing since the moment Chase rejoined Joe Burrow as the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Speaking after yet another heartbreaking loss as his Cincinnati Bengals fell to 4-7, Ja’Marr Chase brought up the name of head coach Zac Taylor. And that sort of says it all, right?

Ja'Marr Chase directed questions regarding the Cincinnati Bengals' play-calling to head coach Zac Taylor following a 34-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers

The Golden State Warriors engaged in an intense NBA Cup matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. The Warriors got tested but were able to close things out with a 112-108 win. Of course, Stephen Curry provided much-needed offense,