The 3-4 Bengals will host the 4-3 Bears this week in what is shaping up to be an offensive bonanza of a game. Cincinnati and Chicago are 32nd and 30th in yards allowed per play, respectively. The Bears come off in off a loss in Baltimore that put an end to a four-game winning streak, while the Bengals have the bad taste in their mouths of handing the 0-7 New York Jets their first win of the season last week.
The Bengals defense is atrocious, but while their season-long offensive numbers are also poor, the addition of veteran quarterback Joe Flacco has changed the unit’s outlook. In two games with Flacco under center, Cincy has scored 33 and 38 points. It remains to be seen whether Flacco will be able to play in this game, but if he does I expect him to continue his hot streak.
Chicago’s defense came back to life a couple of weeks ago, but injuries have derailed it yet again. Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson missed last game, but should provide a nice boost this week with his expected return. With every starting wide receiver on the team on the injury report this week as well, we will see what the Bears have in the tank on Sunday.
Keys to the Game
Bears
- Get Back on Takeaway Train
Although it’s elementary, the importance of takeaways is extremely important to the Bears specifically. During their winning streak, it was the advantage in turnover margin that paved the paths to victory. It is no coincidence that when the takeaway well finally ran dry last week, the streak came to an end. Chicago’s defense remains 1st in turnovers forced, while Cincinnati’s offense has surrendered the 10th-most heading into week 9.
- Force the Grizzled Quarterback Out of the Pocket
Assuming the 40-year-old veteran suits up on Sunday afternoon, the Bears will need to force some pressure on him. Flacco has proven that he still can get the job done, but he ranks 24th out of 28 starting quarterbacks in PFF passing grade under pressure since he’s been thrusted into the lineup. It doesn’t take a genius to think that it might be a good idea to force the slow, stationary passer out of the pocket, but sometimes it is just that simple.
Bengals
- Keep the Run Magic Going
Since the Bengals offense got a revamp, the passing game hasn’t been the only improvement. In the past two weeks, Cincy has killed it on the ground as well, rushing for 142 yards against the Steelers and an impressive 181 against the Jets while also adding three touchdowns through the run game. Meanwhile, the Bears allow the 3rd-most yards per carry this season. While Chicago did stiffen up against the run for a couple weeks following the bye, this directly correlated with the short-lived return of stud nickel CB Kyler Gordon, who has since returned to the IR. The Bengals offense has been running off of the rush, and it should be able to continue.
- Contain D’Andre Swift
Bears running back D’Andre Swift began putting up huge numbers when the Bears were winning, but was stifled by the Ravens last week in the loss. Baltimore completely shut down Swift’s outside rushing lanes, forcing him inside where he is the least comfortable and ultimately held him to only 45 rushing yards. The lack of a consistent rushing game put the Bears in a tough spot, and they only ended up scrounging up 16 points. Cincinnati’s recipe for victory could be similar.