Ja’Marr Chase is not a defender, but his voice carried like one after Cincinnati’s 39-38 loss to the Jets. With the Bengals searching for answers after a fourth-quarter collapse, it was Chase preaching accountability and unity in Monday’s players only defense meeting.

Chase made it a point to check in with safety Geno Stone. ”I told him they can only control what they can control,” he said. “Don’t overdo it with each other. Y’all have to have each other’s backs and be a unit.”

Chase decided to address the locker room and made sure they had each other’s backs. No doubt, the Dolphins’ defense has been a real concern this season.

They’ve struggled to keep teams off the scoreboard, ranking 26th in points allowed, and their run defense has been even worse. But on Sunday, things finally looked different. For the first time this season, Miami’s defense held an opponent under 100 rushing yards in their win over Atlanta, a small but much-needed step in the right direction.

However, thier matchup with arguably poor teams like Jets, revealed the cracks. The Bengals took their 31-16 lead into the fourth quarter at home. Everything was set for a comfortable finish. But Cincinnati unraveled.

The Jets scored 23 straight points which the Bengals never managed to counter. The stat sheet came with an even harsher truth: no turnovers, no game-changing stops, and several chances for the offense to close the door that went unconverted. They missed tackles, soft spots in coverage, and chances in the red zone. While Chase remained productive, he caught 12 of 19 targets for 91 yards; other playmakers on offense never got into rhythm. Tee Higgins had limited volume, and depth receivers failed as well.

Those are the types of losses elite teams avoid. Those are the ones that test identity. And nobody inside the building downplayed the sting on Sunday. Head coach Zac Taylor made sure to sharpen that message post-game:

“Not acceptable. Humbling for us, certainly. (We) never got a chance to break that game open like we felt we were capable of. (We had) two opportunities at the end of the game there to close it out on offense, and defensively to get guys on the ground.”

Two possessions to finish it on offense. Two defensive chances to slam the door. None converted. Meanwhile, as the locker room tries to reset from the loss, the front office has its own noise, with Trey Hendrickson’s name never leaving the rumor mill.

Trey Hendrickson’s trade is happening or not?

The Cowboys and 49ers were interested in Trey Hendrickson, as per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, though San Francisco has since made a different move. On the other hand, the stance of Cincinnati hasn’t changed: they don’t want to move away from Hendrickson. He’s a core piece of what still could be a playoff defense if corrected and healthy.

Indianapolis have been another popular spot for the Bengals star, as its defense is now headed by former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. The familiarity, coupled with the Colts’ standing as one piece away, makes the fit obvious. The hip has limited Hendrickson, but the team does not consider it a long-term concern.

He should be full-go for the stretch run, whether that run keeps him in Cincinnati or not. The Bengals believe they can still fight back, and trading one of their top defensive weapons would contradict the message Chase and the leaders are sending internally. Because right now, the theme coming out of the building is not surrender, it’s response.

Chase’s voice was rare and pointed to set that tone. The Bengals aren’t lacking belief. They’re lacking execution. They have seen their standard. Now they’re being tested to find it again. And in Cincinnati, the next few weeks will determine whether that is a message that sparks a turnaround or becomes a reminder where the season slipped away.