Cincinnati Bengals vs. Chicago Bears: Preseason Game Preview

CINCINNATI, OH – DECEMBER 10: Brian Hill #23 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs with the ball defended by Prince Amukamara #20 of the Chicago Bears during the second half at Paul Brown Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

The Cincinnati Bengals will play host to the Chicago Bears in their preseason opener tonight. Both teams are looking for improvement going into 2018.

Chicago is trying to erase the past six years of frustration, having not posted a winning record since 2012. Over that span, they’ve fired three different head coaches and hired three different ones. Cincinnati has had the same head coach for 15 years but little to show for it. Seven playoff trips with no victories. This year feels like it could be the final straw. This game could offer at least some minor indicators about where each team stands as the regular season draws closer.

Storylines:

The last stand of Marvin Lewis begins – It came as a genuine shock that the Bengals didn’t fire Marvin Lewis after such a disappointing 2017 season. One could say those two big wins at the end of the year saved his skin. That said, he’s definitely not out of danger. Expectations are high for this team and if they flop like they did a year ago, then not even his remarkable streak of survivability will rescue him this time.

The real Matt Nagy offense debuts – There won’t be any sort of game plan, but this will be the first time the new offense installed by Bears head coach Matt Nagy actually makes an appearance with the starting lineup. What people saw in the Hall of Fame game was a mere shadow of the real thing. Hopes are high for this group and pressure is on Nagy to deliver.

Players to watch:

Mitch Trubisky

The Bears quarterback sat out the Hall of Fame game, so this will be his first preseason action of 2018, and the first chance for people to see him in that new Matt Nagy offense. Word is he’s made a lot of progress over the past few weeks, looking accurate and precise in drills. He was on point the last time he played in Cincinnati. It would be a great confidence boost if he came out sharp against them here.

Anthony Miller

The buzz on the rookie wide receiver from Memphis grows louder by the day. Anthony Miller is already drawing comparisons to Steve Smith and Antonio Brown thanks to his rare mix of route running prowess, agility, and strong hands. He’s been carving up the best corners on the Bears roster and fans are dying to see what he can do in live game action.

John Ross

The disappointment over what happened with John Ross last year is hard to ignore. Not only did he come in injured when the Bengals drafted him, but he reportedly got in the coaches’ doghouse and never saw the field. Some even thought the receiver might be traded. Now he’s focused on a fresh start in 2018 and is eager to show people why he was a 1st round pick.

Malik Jefferson

The 3rd round linebacker has a lot of people excited because of his standout mix of size and athleticism. The Bengals have been working him hard in practice, teaching him the position at an accelerated pace. He’s known for being highly effective around the line of scrimmage but they want to see if he can handle playing in space, which is a necessity in the NFL.

Key position battles:

More from NFL Mocks

George Iloka vs. Jessie Bates

The arrival of Teryl Austin as defensive coordinator could bring about some changes to the defensive secondary in Cincinnati. He puts a high premium on safeties who can make plays on the football. While George Iloka is a good player, such things were never his strong suit. That’s why the Bengals grabbed Jessie Bates in the 2nd round. They feel he can be that guy.

Eric Kush vs. James Daniels

Chicago has high hopes for 2nd round choice James Daniels, but they can’t be sure whether he’s ready for a transition to left guard after playing center at Iowa. That’s why they’ve shown such confidence in veteran Eric Kush. He’s logged time there before and done well. This game will determine which of them has a stronger grasp on the job.

Prediction: Bengals win 24-20

The final result doesn’t matter of course but Cincinnati is at home and they would like at least a little redemption for the 33-7 beating they took from the Bears back in December. Expect both starting offenses to start off sluggish against these good defenses but likely put some points on the board before heading to the bench. Since 2015, the Bengals are 3-3 at home in the preseason. One of those wins was against Chicago.

Home/NFL Draft