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The Cincinnati Bengals enter Week 2 with a 1-0 record and facing their first road game of the season against a Chicago Bears team hungry to right the ship after starting the season with a loss.
To the Bengals’ credit, the team — and especially the offense — started faster than most probably would have been comfortable predicting considering Joe Burrow was back on a surgically repaired knee behind a rebuilt offensive line.
But during an overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings, Burrow went a smooth 20-of-27 with 261 yards and two touchdowns. Joe Mixon rushed for 127 yards and a score and Ja’Marr Chase announced his arrival with five catches for 101 yards and a score.
Defensively, the new-look unit forced a key fumble, held Dalvin Cook to 61 rushing yards and had three sacks, all going to new arrivals B.J. Hill and Larry Ogunjobi.
It’s all pretty encouraging going into a game against a Bears team that took a 34-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the opener while Andy Dalton threw for just 206 yards with an interception on a 5.4 average. The running game is again good, but Dalton hasn’t been able to throw it down the field at all. Chicago’s good-looking pass-rush wasn’t hitting home often either.
Maybe the biggest key for the Bengals? Making sure that Khalil Mack-led pass-rush doesn’t get going. The offense will keep calling quick hitters in the hopes of keeping Burrow safe, but the interior of the line needs to be better than it was last week.
Keep in mind the Bears could run some packages for first-round passer Justin Fields. but last week, he completed just two passes for 10 yards and rushed for a short-yardage score. It’s something the defense needs to be aware of, but Chicago is foolishly adamant he’s not ready to be the starter, which is good news for the Bengals.
Chicago’s defense at home might keep this one close, but the clutch gene displayed by Burrow last week is hard to ignore. This is a very, very winnable game, more so than the opener.
Prediction: Bengals 21, Bears 17
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