The Bears play an AFC North opponent on the road for the second straight week Sunday, and they’ll be trying to get back on track.
Both teams will be trying to do that, actually.
The Bears saw their four-game winning come to an end last Sunday in Baltimore in a 30-16 loss to the Lamar Jackson-less Ravens. Chicago moves a little closer to home this week to play the Bengals in Cincinnati.
The Bengals, meanwhile, are coming off a heartbreaking 39-38 loss to the previously winless New York Jets, squandering a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Much of the discourse leading up to Sunday’s game in Cincinnati has centered around the status of 18-year NFL veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who was acquired by the Bengals in a trade with the Cleveland Browns earlier this season and has stabilized things under center in the absence of injured star Joe Burrow.
Flacco suffered an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder in last week’s loss to the Jets and was still listed as questionable leading up to Sunday’s game. However, NFL Network National Insider Ian Rapoport reported this weekend, citing sources, that Flacco planned to play Sunday, barring an unforeseen setback with his injured shoulder.
The Bears, meanwhile, will be without one of their offensive stars Sunday. Running back D’Andre Swift was ruled out by the team on its Friday injury report with a groin injury.
WGN Radio’s Kevin Powell joined Sunday’s Weekend Morning News to break down Sunday’s matchup in Cincinnati, and he predicts the Bears will bounce back with a win after having their four-game winning streak snapped last week in Baltimore.
See the attached video player for more with Powell.
Here’s a closer look at Sunday’s matchup:
Chicago (4-3) at Cincinnati (3-5)
Sunday, Noon, CBS
BetMGM line: Bears by 2 1/2 (subject to change).
Against the spread: Bears 4-3; Bengals 3-5.
Series record: Tied 6-6.
Last meeting: Bears won 20-17 in Chicago on Sept. 19, 2021.
Last week: Bears lost at Ravens 30-16; Bengals lost to Jets 39-38.
Bears offense: overall (29), rush (9), pass (32), scoring (15)
Bears defense: overall (25), rush (27), pass (13), scoring (25)
Bengals offense: overall (29), rush (31), pass (21), scoring (21t)
Bengals defense: overall (32), rush (32), pass (30), scoring (32)
Turnover differential: Bears plus-10; Bengals minus-2.
Injuries and inactives
The teams have announced their inactives for Sunday’s game.
Bears
Chicago had a lengthy injury report this week.
In addition to Swift, WR Luther Burden III (concussion), RB Roschon Johnson (back) and DL Dominque Robinson (ankle) are inactive for Sunday’s game. Also inactive are Case Keenum (emergency third QB) and LB Ruben Hyppolite II.
LB Amen Ogbongbemiga (knee) was designated for return from the injured list and was questionable for Sunday’s game. He is now active.
DL Grady Jarrett (rest), TE Cole Kmet (back), WR DJ Moore (hip/groin), WR Rome Odunze (heel), DB Tyrique Stevenson (shoulder), OL Joe Thuney (rest) and WR Olamide Zacchaeaus (knee) were all on the injury report during the week but did not have an injury designation as of Friday and are good to go.
Bengals
As expected, Flacco is active for Sunday’s game.
However, one of the team’s star players on the other side of the ball, DE Trey Hendrickson, is inactive with a hip injury. The Bengals’ other inactives are CB Marco Wilson, LB Logan Wilson, G Dalton Risner, TE Cam Grandy and Sean Clifford (emergency third QB).
Risner (illness) was listed as questionable on the team’s Friday injury report, while Marco Wilson (hamstring) and Logan Wilson (calf) were listed as doubtful. LB Oren Burks (groin) was also listed as questionable but is active for Sunday’s game.
Bears player to watch
QB Caleb Williams has struggled once he gets the offense into the red zone. The Bears have kicked 15 field goals in the past four games, and their 47.8% rate scoring touchdowns inside the opponents’ 20-yard line is 26th in the league. Williams will face a Bengals’ defense that has allowed a TD 70.3% of the time in the red zone, the third-highest rate.
Bengals player to watch
WR Ja’Marr Chase leads the league with 70 receptions, including 38 in the past three games. He is looking to join Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson as the only players in league history with double-digit catches in four straight games. Johnson accomplished the mark in 2012 with Detroit in Weeks 13-16.
Series notes
Chicago has won the past three meetings in the series. … The Bears are 3-2 in games played in Cincinnati and 2-1 in the Bengals’ current home.
Stats and stuff
Chicago leads the NFL with 16 takeaways and 11 interceptions. … QB Caleb Williams will make his 25th NFL start. He has 18 completions of 25-plus yards this season, tied for the second most in the league. … WR DJ Moore needs 73 receiving yards to reach 8,000. … The Bears defense has held opponents to a 31.9% third down conversion rate, second best in the league. … LB Tremaine Edmunds has an NFL-best 13 interceptions since 2018. … LB T.J. Edwards will appear in his 100th game. … DL Dayo Odeyingbo had a career-high eight tackles last week. … K Cairo Santos reached 250 made field goals in his career last week. … Cincinnati is 0-3 against the NFC North this season. … The Bengals’ 15-point lead going into the fourth quarter last week against the Jets was the biggest squandered in franchise history in the final 15 minutes. … QB Joe Flacco has thrown for seven touchdowns and has no interceptions in his three starts with the Bengals. … RB Chase Brown had a season-high 105 scrimmage yards last week, including 73 rushing. … RB Samaje Perine had 94 rushing yards last week. … DE Trey Hendrickson has 3 1/2 sacks in three games against Chicago. … LB Demetrius Knight leads NFL rookies with 62 tackles. … CB D.J. Turner leads the league with a career-high 13 passes defensed. … Safeties Jordan Battles (58 tackles) and Geno Stone (51) are one of two sets of defensive back teammates with at least 50 tackles. The others are Denver’s Talanoa Hufanga & Brandon Jones) each with 50 or more tackles this season.
Fantasy tip
Bengals WR Tee Higgins has caught a touchdown in eight consecutive home games and has 11 in that span. He can become the third player in league history with a TD reception in nine straight at home, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Cris Carter (10 with Minnesota from 2000-01) and Jerry Rice (nine with San Francisco in 1989-90).