The Bengals’ offense encountered significant resistance during their season opener against division rival Cleveland on Sunday, resulting in a surprising 24-3 defeat in which they failed to score a single touchdown.

Following the game, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who had engaged in some pre-game trash talk, openly expressed some regret regarding his earlier comments directed at his opponents.

“It’s frustrating because I referred to them as ‘elves,’ and we ended up losing to them,” Chase admitted to reporters. “I’m disappointed in myself for that, and I’m frustrated. As I mentioned, we missed key opportunities, failed to capitalize on them, and ultimately, that’s how we suffered the loss.”

In the loss, Chase was the target of nine passes, managing to catch five of them for a team-leading total of 39 yards. Meanwhile, quarterback Joe Burrow, who had recently become the highest-paid player in NFL history just a few days before the game, struggled with only 82 passing yards throughout the afternoon.

Regarding his pre-game comments leading up to the season opener, the 23-year-old wide receiver stated, “It doesn’t feel any different. It’s just the hype and noise surrounding the Cleveland Browns. I was actually going to jokingly refer to them as ‘elves.'” He added, “I don’t really pay much attention to it because, to me, Cleveland is just Cleveland.”

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Browns’ defensive end Myles Garrett later referred to Chase’s remarks as “bulletin board material.” The Cleveland team then responded on the field with an impressive defensive performance, ultimately delivering a statement victory.

Ja’Marr Chase’s pre-game trash talk about the Browns before the Bengals’ matchup against their in-state rival on Sunday didn’t stop, even after a humbling three-score defeat.

In the lead-up to the AFC North showdown, Chase had mentioned that he almost referred to the Browns as “the elves,” a reference to Cleveland’s Brownie the Elf midfield logo. This comment stirred controversy, with Myles Garrett describing the “elves” comment as “disrespectful.”

Chase had been asked about Cincinnati’s struggles against their in-state rival, having gone 1-3 with Joe Burrow as their quarterback against the Browns before suffering their fourth loss on Sunday. Notably, Burrow’s four losses to the Browns mark the most against any team in the NFL.

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Interestingly, most of the Browns didn’t engage in retaliatory comments following their victory. Cornerback Greg Newsome II noted that the Bengals had reached the AFC championship twice and wasn’t surprised by Chase’s remarks. Quarterback Deshaun Watson acknowledged that the defense was motivated by the comments but didn’t delve deeply into the matter.