There’s good-on-good in the NFL.
Then there’s Pat Surtain II vs. Ja’Marr Chase.
The Denver cornerback and Cincinnati wide receiver could see each other often Saturday afternoon when their teams collide in a game with major playoff implications.
Each has authored a dominant start to his professional career. And each is putting together his most dominant work yet this fall.
Each line on their resumes from 2024 looks more ridiculous than the next.
Chase is in line to become just the fifth wide receiver since 1970 to win the triple crown — lead the NFL in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
With two games remaining, Chase’s 108 catches are seven clear of the next batch. His 1,510 receiving yards are 123 better than Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson, and his 16 touchdowns are four clear of Washington’s Terry McLaurin.
Chase, according to Next Gen Stats, has 730 yards after the catch (284 over expected), which leads the NFL. That’s more YAC than his talented-but-injury-limited teammate Tee Higgins has on the season. It’s more than either Keenan Allen or Rome Odunze in Chicago.
Then there’s Surtain.
Among cornerbacks who have played 300-plus snaps, Surtain’s got the second-lowest target rate (10.2%). On the rare occasion the ball does get thrown his way, Surtain is allowing an NFL-low 4.9 yards per target.
As the nearest defender in coverage, Surtain’s allowed just 28 catches (46 targets) for 234 yards and two touchdowns while picking off four passes. The 234 yards, according to the Broncos, is the fewest allowed through 16 games by any cornerback since at least 2016.
The matchup between the two is so good, Broncos head coach Sean Payton had a simple way of explaining it.
“You’ve got the best in the game and I haven’t even told you what position,” Payton said Thursday. “I mean, how often does that really happen? You’ve got the best in the game and I haven’t even told you what position.
“Both of those guys, man, they’re something. And I know both teams are glad they have them.”
It remains to be seen just how often Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph will have Surtain traveling with Chase, but there have been a couple of instances this season Payton has lamented not having Surtain on the other team’s best. No time more than when Surtain had Cleveland’s Jerry Jeudy on 60% of the team’s snaps and allowed two catches (three targets) for 20 yards and Jeudy stormed to 215 yards on seven catches against everybody else.
Not only that, but the Broncos are set to get Riley Moss back after a monthlong absence with an MCL injury, giving them a big, physical corner to play against Higgins.
No matter how frequently Surtain and Chase are across from each other, it’ll be must-watch when they are.
“He’s gifted,” Surtain said. “One thing he does that I see is a lot of his yards come after the catch. He’s strong after the catch. He’s got really good hands, solid hands, so the main thing is making sure of what happens in the second act. Rally to the ball with him.”
Surtian and Chase played against each other in college at Alabama and LSU, respectively, for three years. Then Chase went No. 5 overall in the 2021 draft and Surtain was right behind him at No. 9.
During their rookie seasons, Surtain held Chase to one catch and 3 yards, but the Bengals won a critical Week 15 game. The Broncos were 7-6, but Teddy Bridgewater was knocked out with a concussion, Cincinnati won 15-10, and the teams went opposite directions. Denver didn’t make the playoffs and the Bengals ran all the way to the Super Bowl.
Now Surtain and Chase square off again, this time as two of the best players in the NFL, let alone at their positions.
“It’s going to be a challenge for us that we’re going to be prepared for,” Surtain said.
