The NFL Preseason is in full swing and there’s a ton of action over the weekend. A game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Chicago Bears would usually be billed as a top matchup on any slate, but with many starters sidelined for this one, we’re looking deeper down the rosters to analyze this one.
Here’s a prediction and pick for Bengals vs. Bears in the NFL Preseason on Saturday, courtesy of odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Bears vs. Bengals preview
The preseason really doesn’t mean all that much in the grand scheme of things, so it shouldn’t be used as a measuring stick for a team’s future performance. However, for the clubs themselves, there are reasons that these games do matter.
Cincinnati has elected to play it safe this week – head coach Zac Taylor said most of the starters will sit out Saturday’s matchup after getting plenty of reps during joint practices. So, we can rule out Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Dexter Lawrence, and probably plenty of other key names. Where does that leave them?
In a 16-14 win over the Detroit Lions in their preseason opener, the Bengals were led in passing by journeyman Josh Johnson with a 10-for-19 day and 84 yards. It’s likely he sees plenty of work once again, though Joe Flacco could get a little bit, as could Sean Clifford. In any circumstance, finding the weapons who stand out will be more interesting. Tahj Brooks is a natural candidate in the backfield but had just 11 yards on four carries last week, while wideout Dohnte Meyers led the team in receiving with three grabs and 19 yards alongside Colbie Young’s two for 28.
All in all, the Bengals finished with 256 total yards of offense – 159 through the air and 97 on the ground – while going 7-for-18 on third downs and 1-for-3 in the red zone. The defense mostly held up, allowing 274 yards in total while grabbing a pair of interceptions and logging two sacks. That’s the kind of performance that gives some hope moving forward, even with the depth on display rather than starters.
The Bears emerged from their preseason opener with an outright dominant performance against the Cleveland Browns, winning 34-10 at home. They were incredible on offense with 430 total yards – 348 through the air – but weren’t all that great at moving the chains (4-for-12 on third downs) despite going 2-for-2 in the red zone.
However, that was an awesome first showing to start the year. Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent went 13-for-22 with 169 yards and a touchdown, though he tossed a pick as well. Roschon Johnson looked healthy with eight carries for 34 yards, and six different players ended the day with at least 30 receiving yards, with five of them catching three or more passes. Kaden Davis led the Bears on the day with four grabs for 88 yards, followed by Ray-Ray McCloud with three for 63. Halfback Salvon Ahmed hauled in three balls for 55 yards and a score, too, making a case as a receiving back.
Chicago’s defense, though, appeared more suspect. The unit gave up 314 yards to Cleveland, which was led by Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders under center. Granted, the Bears picked off Watson and Dillon Gabriel, and Sanders didn’t appear particularly effective himself. Outside of a 28-yard rush by Davon Booth, the run game was mostly stymied, too. The concerns about this secondary may wind up valid in the end, but it’s fair to say this is a talent-assessment phase rather than a sign of things to come with starters. Speaking of, it seems unlikely that many see time in this one for Chicago.
Bears vs. Bengals prediction, pick
DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Bears as a 1.5-point road favorite in this matchup with -125 odds to win on the Moneyline. The Bengals are a +105 home underdog with the game total set at 36.5 combined points.
To be clear, betting on NFL Preseason can prove very tricky. Established names don’t see much action, especially in the earlier weeks, and there’s much more variance in these games due to the roster shuffling and how deep of a player pool coaches draw from.
Projecting much in this matchup proves difficult since it seems very few starters will see the field. With that said, I’m happy to rise with Chicago here given the dominance the squad showed in its opening contest of the preseason schedule. Ben Johnson is a better coach than Zac Taylor (that’s probably fair to say at this point, right?) and it seemed that even his players deeper on the roster had no problem executing to open the year. Granted, it did come against the Browns, who aren’t exactly the toughest competition, and the Bengals have steadier quarterback play as well. Still, it’s tough not to ride with the Bears after drubbing their last opponent.
