Starters Struggle in Cincinnati

The Chicago Bears wrapped up their second preseason game with a 27-9 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium, a result that left head coach Ben Johnson visibly frustrated. The Bengals, resting their starters—including quarterback Joe Burrow and backup Joe Flacco, who watched from the sideline in street clothes—relied on 40-year-old journeyman Josh Johnson to direct the offense. Johnson, who has played for a record 14 NFL teams, led a 14-play, 67-yard drive against the Bears' starting defense on the opening possession, according to the Associated Press.

The Bears' starters, making their preseason debut, played only one series each. Quarterback Caleb Williams, the centerpiece of the offseason hype, went 2-for-5 for 28 yards, with all three incompletions coming after the offense drove into the red zone, as reported by the Associated Press. The Chicago Sun-Times noted that Williams threw wide of receiver Rome Odunze and overthrew Colston Loveland near the goal line, forcing the Bears to settle for a 45-yard Cairo Santos field goal. Williams' passer rating was 58.8, according to the Sun-Times, falling short of the 70% completion rate that coach Ben Johnson has publicly set as a goal.

Despite the brief appearance, Johnson said Williams "gained nine more reps," as quoted by the Sun-Times. Williams played just seven snaps, plus two more on plays that were penalized, including a holding call on tackle Braxton Jones that set up a first-and-20.

Defense Fails to Hold Up

The Bears' starting defense, which had performed well in a joint practice with the Bengals on Thursday, did not carry that form into the game. The Bengals' backups, led by Johnson, marched down the field on the opening drive, with Johnson completing 7 of 10 passes for 55 yards to set up a 25-yard field goal by Evan McPherson. The defense, featuring Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, Gervon Dexter, and Kentavius Street on the line, gave up multiple third-down conversions, as Sports Illustrated noted.

The Bears' defense showed signs of improvement on the Bengals' second possession, when Dexter and Odeyingbo, among others, stayed in the game. Dexter flushed Johnson out of the pocket, and Odeyingbo hit him as he threw, forcing an incomplete pass and a three-and-out. However, the unit's inconsistency remains a concern, as the Bears finished 29th in total defense last season despite leading the league with 33 takeaways.

Penalties and Third-Down Woes

The Bears were their own worst enemy, finishing with 11 penalties for 81 yards, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. At halftime, coach Ben Johnson "barked at his team" about penalties and third-down performance, the Sun-Times reported. The Bears went 2-for-14 on third down on offense, while their defense allowed the Bengals to convert 6-of-13 third-down opportunities.

"It doesn't matter whether it's the preseason or not," Johnson said, per the Sun-Times. "It's a bad feeling in that locker room after the game when you lose, especially like that."

Johnson also shuffled play-calling duties in the second half, handing offensive play-calling to tight ends coach Jim Dray and defensive play-calling to defensive backs coach Al Harris, who spent five years with the Cowboys before joining the Bears staff.

Special Teams Miscues

Special teams, a point of emphasis for Johnson during the joint practice, stumbled. Sports Illustrated reported that Kaden Davis muffed a punt return, JP Richardson muffed a kickoff return, and the play was further marred by an illegal block penalty. Cairo Santos, who made field goals of 45, 26, and 44 yards, missed a 53-yard attempt in the fourth quarter.

Bright Spots in a Loss

Despite the lopsided score, a few Bears players stood out. Rookie defensive lineman Jordan van den Berg, a sixth-round pick, impressed with his pass rush and run defense, nearly sacking the quarterback multiple times, according to Sports Illustrated. Pro Football Focus graded him as the Bears' highest-rated defender with a 90.9 overall grade, including an 84.9 in run defense and an 80.9 in pass rush, as reported by Sports Illustrated. Van den Berg's performance has led some to argue he should be locked into a 53-man roster spot, especially given the Bears' struggles in sacks and run defense last season.

Wide receiver Jahdae Walker made a 36-yard leaping catch from Case Keenum in the second quarter, a play that Sports Illustrated called arguably the best of the night. Safety Skyler Thomas intercepted Sean Clifford in the fourth quarter, and Dayo Odeyingbo nearly sacked Josh Johnson earlier in the game.

Johnson's Night and the Bengals' Depth

Josh Johnson, who started his NFL career in 2008, threw two touchdown passes late in the second quarter: a 17-yard strike to rookie receiver Colbie Young and a 6-yard toss to tight end Tanner Hudson. Johnson completed 15 of 23 passes for 156 yards. Bengals coach Zac Taylor praised Johnson's performance, saying, "Josh, I thought played excellent and finished with a nice touchdown drive at halftime," as quoted by the Associated Press.

Johnson, at 40 years old, has played for a record 14 NFL teams, and his experience was on display. "I think it's always good to go out there and show you can still make plays," Johnson said, per the Associated Press. "In this business, people want to put labels on you and put tags on you. Everybody thinks they have the right answers. The one person I know who has the answers is the man above."

Johnson found a connection with CFL import Dohnte Meyers, who had five catches for 41 yards, a 9-yard rush, and returned kicks and punts. Meyers, who is trying to prove himself, said he wants to show he belongs, as reported by the Associated Press.

In the second half, Sean Clifford led the Bengals on a scoring drive, throwing a 20-yard touchdown pass to Noah Thomas to make it 24-9. The win marked the first time since 2019 that the Bengals have won more than one preseason game, according to the Associated Press.

Injuries and Next Steps

Bears linebacker Nephi Sewell left the game on a cart with a knee injury, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times and the Associated Press. Bengals linebacker Joe Giles-Harris was evaluated for a concussion. The Bears did not report any injuries to starters.

The Bears will return to practice Tuesday after two days off. They play their final preseason game at Tennessee next Saturday, while the Bengals finish the preseason on Friday at Philadelphia. The Bears have three weeks before their season opener at Carolina.