Former Illinois RB Chase Brown Seals Win for Cincinnati Bengals

On the first play after the two-minute warning in Sunday night’s game at Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, seemingly all the Cincinnati Bengals needed was a first down against the New York Giants’ defense to end the game.

On second-and-3, with Cincinnati clinging to a 10-7 lead, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow handed the ball off to running back Chase Brown, who gave his team what it needed – and then some.

Brown, who played for Illinois from 2019-22 and who is now in his second season with the Bengals, snatched the ball from Burrow’s hands, patiently waited on a lead block from tight end Drew Sample, then made a subtle cut and tore through the middle and past the Giants’ secondary untouched – all the way through the goal line.

The 30-yard burst extended the Bengals lead to 10, iced the game and kept the dim playoff hopes of the 2-4 Bengals alive. 

Brown finished with 10 carries for 53 yards and the score. After once again outplaying Zack Moss (6 carries for 13 yards), who entered this season as Cincy’s lead back, Brown should get his chance to take on a heavier load.

That should be no problem for Brown, who was an All-American workhorse runner for the Illini before being drafted in the fifth round last year by Cincinnati. His average yards per carry in 2024 (5.5) ranks among the league’s top 10 marks, and Week 7 should be as good as any to solidify his standing in the Bengals’ backfield with a matchup against the spiraling Cleveland Browns.