Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase beats Vikings' Justin Jefferson to The Griddy

Sep. 12—CINCINNATI — Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson helped popularize The Griddy at the NFL level last season. But Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase was the only former LSU receiver that got to bust out the touchdown dance move in Sunday's season opener.

Talk about bragging rights.

Though the exact movements of the dance move are a little hard to explain — think of it as if hopscotch and jump rope had a baby — there's no doubt that it's started to catch on since Jefferson entered the league last season.

Unfortunately for Jefferson, he didn't get into the end zone in Sunday's 27-24 overtime loss to the Bengals. Meanwhile, his best bud Chase, who was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 draft, scored the first touchdown of his NFL career to help sink the Vikings.

Fittingly, Chase scored in style, hauling in a 50-yard bomb up the right sideline after torching Vikings cornerback Bashaud Breeland. For the game, Chase finished with five catches for 101 yards and a touchdown.

Ja'Marr Chase's first NFL Griddy

(via @Bengals)pic.twitter.com/nvTUfenxa3

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 12, 2021

It was an impressive game from Chase, especially considering he struggled with drops throughout the preseason. Not that Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was surprised.

"I had a couple of guys come up to me and say, 'I hope Ja'Marr comes to play today,' " said Burrow, who served as Chase's quarterback at LSU. "I said, 'Don't worry. It's Sunday. It's game day. He's going to come to play.' "

CONKLIN SHINES

In his first game filling in for injured Irv Smith Jr., tight end Tyler Conklin flashed some moments of brilliance. He finished with four catches for 41 yards, including a big play on the final drive of regulation to help set up the game-tying field goal from kicker Greg Joseph.

In addition to his ability as a pass catcher, Conklin also showed his worth as a run blocker, springing running back Dalvin Cook for a big gain with a key block on the outside.

"He did a great job," quarterback Kirk Cousins said of Conklin. "Tyler is a guy we're going to lean on all season long. We are going to ask a lot of him — blocking, pass protecting, running routes. It's only the tip of the iceberg as to what he's capable of and what we're going to ask him to do."

DANTZLER OUT

There was a surprise name on the Vikings' inactive list when it dropped 90 minutes before Sunday's game.

While everyone knew linebacker Anthony Barr was out with a knee injury, left tackle Christian Darrisaw was out with a groin injury and rookie quarterback Kellen Mond was out in favor of veteran Sean Mannion, not many expected cornerback Cameron Dantzler to be a healthy scratch.

This is quite the fall from grace for 23-year-old Dantzler. After ending last season at the No. 1 cornerback on the Vikings' roster — largely due to injuries — he currently finds himself buried on the depth chart.

Not only is Dantzler predictably behind veteran starting cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Bashaud Breeland and starting nickelback Mackensie Alexander, he appears to be behind reserve cornerbacks Kris Boyd and Harrison Hand, as well.