The Cincinnati Bengals’ reputation has two sides, but their defense’s failings get most of the attention.
For all the points they’ve given up — 31.6 per game, highest in the league — they can score them in bunches too.
And for coach Ben Johnson, whose Chicago Bears visit the Bengals in Week 9, that’s the point.
“They’ve scored over 30 points a game at home (31.5 in four games), and so we know how dangerous this team can be,” he said. “And like a lot of teams this time of year, you’re pushing to stay alive, and so this is a big game for them. It’s a big game for us as well.”
The Bengals have averaged 29.7 points in the three games since 40-year-old Joe Flacco took over at quarterback after his trade from the Cleveland Browns, and 35.5 in the last two — both home games.
“He’s had an incredible career so far and it’s still going on now,” Johnson said of the 18th-year veteran. “To see him pick it up and get thrown into the fire that first week after he was acquired, he just has gotten better as these weeks have gone on.”
However, Flacco suffered an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder last week against the New York Jets, according to multiple reports, so his availability will be closely monitored this week.
Here are three more things we learned Wednesday from Halas Hall.
1. The Bears recognize Ja’Marr Chase is a “complete problem.”
The injury-depleted Bears secondary will have its hands full with Chase, who’s second in the NFL in receiving yards with 720, and Tee Higgins.
But it particularly needs to be wary of what Chase did to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7: 16 catches for 161 yards and a touchdown on 23 targets.
“You talk about a complete problem, he is that,” Johnson said. “I don’t know how much you can slow him down. … It’s all-hand-on-deck to try to slow him down.
It’s shocking how quickly Chase has built a rapport with Flacco, who has targeted Chase 54 times over the last three games — a staggering 43% of the Bengals’ target share during that span.
“It’s pretty impressive how quickly it’s clicked,” Johnson said.
Safety Kevin Byard said it’s the secondary’s mission to limit Chase’s explosive plays, but it’s highly unlikely it can completely separate Flacco from his new favorite toy — if Flacco plays.
“When you have an explosive receiver like that — and this is well known around the league — sometimes you’ll have a safety who’s hovering over there to try to tell the quarterback, ‘Hey, don’t throw it to this guy,’” Byard said. “He throws it to him, still. …
“The touchdown (Chase) had in Green Bay (on Oct. 12), he made a spectacular catch. (Safety) Xavier McKinney was leaning over there, and obviously Joe Flacco tried to hold him off a little bit, but he still threw it for a touchdown. That just shows the trust he has in Ja’Marr Chase to make those plays.”
2. The Bears are in a hurry to get the pass rush going.
It’s chicken-and-egg with the Bears defense: If the Bears can stop the run, then they can tee off on the pass, or so Johnson was saying.
Against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8, “we had a strong emphasis going into the game of stopping that running game,” he said. “As that game went on, they were able to live in that movement and play-action world, which makes the pass rush a lot more challenging.”
That’s all well and good, but the Bears have allowed 5.3 yards per rush play and 7 yards per pass play, third- and fourth-worst in the league, respectively. Both the chicken and the egg have been getting cooked.
However, defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo believes the Bears pass rush can get to the quarterback more often because they’re playing “unselfish as a group.”
“Sometimes you as an individual aren’t necessarily in the position that’s supposed to get home, or sometimes you’re containing the quarterback so someone else can get home,” he said. “So it just comes down to working as a unit, and I think we’re all willing to do what it takes.”
And Johnson pointed to the pass rush’s success on third down as an encouraging sign.
The Bears have limited opponents to 3.9 yards per play and a 31.88% success rate on third down, both second-best in the league, despite having a league-worst pressure rate of 23.1% in those situations.
“Not everyone agrees with this statement, but the hits and the pressures are equally important to me as the sacks are,” Johnson said. “I would love to be leading the league in sacks right now (the Bears rank 19th in sack percentage at 7.22%), but affecting the quarterback is really important for us.
“When I look at those true drop-back situations, that’s what I’m looking at more than anything is how much we are affecting the quarterback.”
3. The receivers are banged up, but the Bears got some good news.
Several Bears receivers missed or were limited in practice Wednesday
DJ Moore (hip/groin), Rome Odunze (heel), Olamide Zaccheaus (knee) and Luther Burden (concussion) — the first three of whom lead the team in targets — were among the seven Bears who were listed as nonparticipants in practice.
Zaccheaus and Burden suffered their injuries during Sunday’s loss in Baltimore. The Bears don’t seem to be overly concerned.
They hosted seven players for tryouts Tuesday, according to the Tribune’s Brad Biggs, but none were wideouts. They signed defensive lineman Jonathan Garvin and offensive Royce Newman to the practice squad Wednesday, as well as defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the active roster.
And the Bears got a big boost with starting tight end Cole Kmet and starting cornerback Tyrique Stevenson practicing on a limited basis.
Stevenson is the Bears’ top cover corner in the absence of Jaylon Johnson, who was placed on injured reserve Sept. 20 with a groin injury. Kmet provides versatility for Ben Johnson in both passing and running schemes.
Either player’s return would have a significant impact.
Meanwhile, running backs RB D’Andre Swift (groin) and Roschon Johnson (back) and defensive lineman Dominique Robinson (ankle) didn’t practice. Linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga (knee) practiced in full.