Count Broncos head coach Sean Payton as one of many anticipating Saturday's (4:30 p.m.-Cincinnati's FOX 19 and NFL Network) marquee matchup between his All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II and Bengals Triple Crown threat Ja’Marr Chase.

"You've got the best in the game, and I haven't even told you what position," Payton told the Denver media after Thursday's practice. "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 are … Man, they're something. I know that both teams are glad they have them."

How hot is Chase, 24, in his fourth season?

In his last six games, he's got 53 catches, 793 yards and nine receiving touchdowns. He's only the second player since the 1970 merger to have 50 catches, 700 yards and nine touchdown catches in six games, and the first since Odell Beckham Jr., 10 years ago.

How hot is Surtain, also 24, also in his fourth season?

He's Pro Football Focus' No. 1-rated overall cornerback. And, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, Surtain has a 23.9% ball hawk rate, the second-highest rate among targeted cornerbacks. Surtain has been targeted on just 7.8% of his zone coverage snaps (fewest among cornerbacks) while Chase has an NFL-best 1,142 yards against zone coverage.

Surtain has allowed 234 receiving yards, the fewest allowed by any cornerback at this point in a season since at least 2016.

Chase and quarterback Joe Burrow are duly impressed.

"(Surtain is) so patient when he's covering people. He never panics. He uses his length and his size to his advantage, makes it tough," Burrow said of the 6-2 Surtain. "He's always around the ball. He's never just going to get beat super clean, and he's going to make you make a great throw and catch, and those are guys that are tough to go against."

Chase, the fifth pick in the 2021 draft, played Surtain, the ninth pick, in the classic 2019 LSU-Alabama game won by LSU's Chase, Burrow and company, 46-41. In front of President Donald Trump in Tuscaloosa, Chase caught six balls for 140 yards, mostly against the other Alabama cornerback, Trevon Diggs.

"Good corner. Size, speed, patience," said Chase after Thursday's practice.

Yes, he does expect Surtain to follow him all over the yard, but he's not really thinking about how the Broncos react if the Bengals continue to move Chase in and out of the slot because, "I love the matchup. We both know it's going to be a good matchup. It's going to be exciting to see,"

They met as rookies in the Bengals' grinding 15-10 win at Mile High, when Chase remembers the defense didn't gear anything to him. Of course, that was three Pro Bowls ago.

"They didn't really care who I was," Chase said.

According to Next Gen Stats, Surtain lined up against Chase on four of his 25 routes. In that game, Chase had a career-low one catch for three yards, and he was not targeted with Surtain lined up against him.

"I'm excited about any matchup I get," Chase said. "You face the best in this league. That's why you rise up for this challenge. Especially when you've made it this far."

Chase knows the postseason accolades are soon headed for the public domain. He's eying his first All-Pro.

"I should already be All-Pro already," Chase said.

Remember, five catches on Saturday and he breaks T.J. Houshmandzadeh's single-season Bengals record of 112.

That and the Triple Crown is on the radar, but not at the forefront.

"I've got to worry about winning the game to be in the playoffs," Chase said. "Me running a triple crown is not putting money in my pocket. Me making the playoffs, that'll put some money in my pocket."

SANTA ORLANDO ASKED TO DELIVER

After Bengals starting left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. doled out Christmas gifts to the entire Bengals traveling party, he delivered another one this week when he returned for two full practices Christmas and Thursday. After Brown missed six of the last seven games with a fibula issue, head coach Zac Taylor gave him a go.

In that one game he did try to gut through, Dec. 1 against the Steelers, his close friend and college teammate Cody Ford lined up next to him at left guard. That moved Cordell Volson to the bench, the first time in his 47-game career he missed a snap. After Thursday's practice, Taylor said that's how they'll go Saturday.

Which means that Ford has been anything but a backup. This is going to be his eighth start at a third different position, mainly at left tackle in place of Brown. After Ford was the third tight end in Carolina, he came off the bench the next week to play 30 percent of the snaps for the injured Amarius Mims at right tackle against the Ravens.

"He's saved faced for us a few times this season," Brown said. "The guy plays both tackles, both guards, and he's able to come in at a moment's notice and does a solid job every time. I'm glad he's in our room."

The feeling is mutual. Ford played at a few different spots at Oklahoma, too, and worked a bit next to Brown at left guard. He's not surprised Brown is making a second go at coming back this season.

"That's why we love him. He tried to gut it out and we know he'll leave it all out there," Ford said. "He's one of the toughest guys I've seen. One time in college he had a high ankle sprain, he booted it up all week and had a great game. I've seen him do some spectacular things."

Brown won't say much about the problem with his leg except that he learned a lesson when he tried to play against the Steelers at less than 100%. Brown had been playing the ball of his career, but according to Next Gen Stats, that day he allowed 12 pressures on 44 pass blocks, tying for the most he had given up in his 107-game career.

"It was tough knowing it wasn't as functional as I needed it to be," Brown said. "It's feeling much better. We've got the playoffs at stake. It's an opportunity to play postseason football. All of that's important to me … It's frustrating. I still feel it. I'm going to feel it. But it's always important for me to be out there for my teammates."

Brown takes this team stuff seriously.

For the second year in a row, he gave a gift to those who work the chartered trips to away games. About 200 folks, he estimates, between players, coaches and employees. Last year it was winter boots. This year, it's personalized bathrobes with names on the back. Starting at the top with Bengals president Mike Brown down to the ladder's bottom rung and the senior writer for Bengals.com.

Last week, Orlando Brown also hosted a holiday movie night at Newport on the Levee for all employees and their families, a few months after he opened up a local gardening center for a Halloween bash.

"There are so many behind-the-scenes people in this sport that go unnoticed," Brown said. "I think it's important to give back. They make my job easier. They make your job easier. The next person. It takes everyone from top to bottom. It helps with the camaraderie and the culture if I know about your family and you know about mine."

There are still more gifts on the way for his offensive linemates. They didn't get here yet. That's going to be next week for New Year's. Brown won't say what the gift is, but last year he got everyone oversized chairs for the offensive line room.

SLANTS AND SCREENS

Brown returns just in time for Denver's NFL-leading sack attack with 51. They have seven players with three or more sacks and five with at least five. Trey Hendrickson, the NFL sack leader with 13.5, is the only Bengal with five. Linebacker Nik Bonitto leads the Broncos with 11.5 sacks …

Denver is looking to get a lift from the return of starting cornerback Riley Moss. Moss (knee) has missed the last three games, but went full all week. Without him, Jameis Winston threw for 497 yards in Cleveland's Dec. 2 loss to the Broncos and Denver allowed 284 passing yards when the Chargers' Justin Herbert beat them last week.

But with Moss back, the thinking is defensive coordinator Vance Joseph can pressure Burrow more …

Mims (hand, ankle) is listed as questionable, but Taylor thinks his right tackle is OK after he went full Thursday …

Safety Geno Stone (illness) and edge Joseph Ossai (illness) didn't work all week, but it sounds like Taylor thinks they can go … Not so tight end Tanner Hudson (knee), listed as doubtful, and defensive linemen Sam Hubbard (knee) and Sheldon Rankins (illness), listed as out …