For the first time in the Ben Johnson era, the Chicago Bears lost a preseason game. The Cincinnati Bengals won handily, 27 to 9, and I have a feeling the film session with Johnson will not be fun.
Considering the Bears began the game with most of their starters while the Bengals played their twos, the game didn’t start the way the Bears had hoped. The first-string offense stalled on their first and only drive and settled for a 45-yard field goal, while Cincinnati’s second offense drove down the field against the Bears’ defense fairly easily, eating up 7:01 in time of possession, before getting a field goal of their own.
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The Bears used a heavy dose of Roschon Johnson in the first half (12 runs, 42 yards), including on a 4th-and-a-foot from their own 15 that they converted right before the two-minute warning. But that drive only went three more plays before Tory Taylor punted it away.
The teams had traded scores up to this point, but Cincinnati’s offense drove down and added a Josh Johnson-to-Tanner Hudson touchdown to take a 17-6 lead into the half.
OR SO THEY THOUGHT!
After a 16-yard run by Salvon Ahmed set the Bears up with a 1st and 10 from the Bengals 49, Case Keenum led the Bears into field goal range with a couple of completions.
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Cairo Santos hit his third to pull the score to 17-9.
Cincy added another TD to open the third period, and the quarter just kind of petered out.
The Bengals added a fourth-quarter field goal, and the game came to an end.
Chicago was sloppy in all three phases, and their 11 penalties for 81 yards only made it worse.
The Bears play the Tennessee Titans in a week to close out the preseason, and they do have a joint practice scheduled during the week.
Check out a few Bears highlights from the game.
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