Star receiver Ja'Marr Chase suffers a concussion in Bengals' loss to Jaguars

CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase suffered a concussion when he took a hard hit during the second quarter Sunday against Jacksonville.

The Bengals couldn't overcome his absence, losing 22-17 to the Jaguars to fall back to .500 after their 2-0 start.

“Certainly this isn’t Armageddon or anything,” quarterback Joe Burrow said. “We’re still in a great spot. This game didn't play out the way we wanted it to. But that's life in the NFL. We had our opportunities (to win) the last two weeks. We played a good team this week and came up short.”

Chase caught a pass from Burrow at the Jaguars 29-yard line before cornerback Jarrian Jones grabbed him by the facemask as he tried to make the tackle. Linebacker Ventrell Miller then came in to finish the tackle and hit the sixth-year receiver. Chase hit his head on the turf as he went down with 12:04 remaining in the first half.

Chase was on the ground for a couple of minutes before going into the sideline medical tent. He then went into the locker room before being declared out at halftime. He came into the game with 18 receptions for 185 yards and three touchdowns, and he had three catches for 26 yards during the first 18 minutes on Sunday.

“Ja’Marr is a big part of the plan, but again, we've got to adjust, so I don’t want that to be the story,” coach Zac Taylor said.

Other receivers stepped up in Chase's absence. Tee Higgins had 11 catches for 157 yards, the second-highest yardage total of his career, before he also left the game late with a groin injury. Dohnte Meyers had seven receptions for 82 yards and running back Chase Brown caught 11 passes for 71 yards.

Burrow passed for 428 yards and a touchdown. It was the fourth-most passing yards in his career and his eighth 400-yard passing game. He also tossed a pair of interceptions, including one in the red zone.

“I think it changed how they were playing (defensively), obviously, when a guy like Ja'Marr goes out,” Burrow said. “We got a little more man (coverage). But guys came in and really stepped up. Tee, for a good part of the game, balled as well. I can't say enough about those guys.”

The Bengals managed just 23 yards on the ground, averaging fewer than 2 years per carry against a Jaguars defense that hasn't allowed a 75-yard rusher in 21 straight games.

Cincinnati didn't have Higgins on its final drive but still drove to the Jaguars 21-yard line. Brown was tackled 1 yard short on fourth-and-10 with 50 seconds left.

“At the end of the day, they walk down the field in a two-minute drill with neither (Chase or Higgins) out there,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said. “I’m sure it affected some of their game plan. ... I can't speak for Zac (Taylor), but I would imagine that it was probably a little bit frustrating.”

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Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Travis Hunter (12) tackles Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'marr Chase (1) during an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'marr Chase (1) runs the ball during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'marr Chase (1) runs out during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'marr Chase (1) is tackled during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Gonçalo Ramos is helping Portugal to forget all about Cristiano Ronaldo, while Greece took more points off Jürgen Klopp and Germany in the Nations League.

Ramos fired Portugal to a 2-1 win over Norway on Sunday to keep the Portuguese perfect in Group A4 with four wins – enough to book their place in the quarterfinals.

Ronaldo was involved in Portugal's opening Nations League game, where he was replaced by Ramos in a 1-0 win over Wales, and hasn't played since. The veteran left the squad after watching the second game from the substitutes’ bench – a 2-1 win in Norway – and Portugal showed no ill effects from his departure with a 4-2 win in Denmark and the latest 2-1 win over Norway.

Kristoffer Ajer opened the scoring Sunday with a brilliant half volley inside the far corner from the edge of the penalty area after taking down Martin Ødegaard’s free kick to set up the shot in the 36th minute.

A seemingly inspired João Cancelo responded in similar fashion at the other end two minutes later.

Ramos got the winner from close range in the 79th after a move involving Vitinha and João Félix, and Portugal survived Francisco Conceição’s late sending off with his second yellow card.

Erling Haaland failed to score for the second consecutive game, and was substituted in the 67th minute. He has 65 goals in 59 appearances.

A late penalty from Rasmus Højlund was enough for Denmark to beat Wales 1-0 in the other group game.

The Danes are second in Group A4 after two wins, while Wales and Norway have a win each.

Greece, which celebrated its first win over Germany last week, almost did it again. Ivan Jovanović's team held Klopp’s side 0-0 in Thessaloniki.

Germany dominated with more possession, more passes and more goal chances, but neither team could score.

Klopp tried reinvigorating his attack with Nick Woltemade and Cologne star Said El Mala for Jonathan Burkardt and Lennart Karl for the last half hour, but Georgios Masouras had the best chance late for the hosts.

Of Klopp’s four games in charge, Germany has only won one.

Joshua Zirkzee fired the Netherlands to a 2-1 win at home over Serbia in the other Group A2 game.

The Netherlands and Greece both have eight points, followed by Germany on five and Serbia with none.

Both teams wore black armbands as Ireland and Israel drew 1-1 in a bad-tempered match in Backa Topola, Serbia.

The Ireland players again bowed their heads during the playing of the Israel national anthem, just as they had in their first game last week to protest Israel's actions in Gaza. The Football Association of Ireland resisted pressure to boycott both games, leaving the players to bear the brunt of it at home where people have a strong affinity with Palestinians. The Irish players ultimately took a vote to fulfill the fixtures.

The Israel players wore black armbands for those killed in the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Kosovo and Austria drew 1-1 in the other Group B3 game.

Also, Azerbaijan defeated Lithuania 1-0, and Malta enjoyed a 1-0 win over Andorra.

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Norway's Erling Haaland gestures during the Nations League soccer match between Portugal and Norway in Porto, Portugal, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)

Germany's Florian Wirtz, right, challenges for the ball during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Greece and Germany in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)

Greece's Giorgos Masouras, right, and Konstantinos Tsimikas celebrate after the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Greece and Germany in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)

Germany's head coach Jurgen Klopp prepares for the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Greece and Germany in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)

Portugal's Goncalo Ramos celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Nations League soccer match between Portugal and Norway in Porto, Portugal, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)