NEWSLETTER
Last week was a clunker. There is no sugar-coating it. But if there is one thing I like about the week between games that the NFL provides, it’s that there is ample opportunity to get over what happened last game, re-calibrate, and get after it against the next opponent. And unlike the Bears’ Week 1 opponent, the Bengals group coming to Soldier Field isn’t the most intimidating bunch.
Don’t get it twisted. The Bengals aren’t a pushover. Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Ja’Marr Chase, and others make these jungle cats a formidable foe. At least, that’s how I feel when it comes to the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, let’s just say it’s not great when your head coach is getting CB reps at the end of the practice week.
In the end, we’ve successfully made it to the home opener. It’s been more than 600 days since Soldier Field has played host to a regular-season NFL game. I’ve heard good things are worth the wait. Let’s see if the Andy Dalton Revenge Game™ will prove that old adage to be true.
Game Info
Chicago Bears (0-1) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (1-0) – FOX-TV (Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez, Laura Okmin), WBBM-AM 780 and WCFS-FM 105.9 (Jeff Joniak, Tom Thayer, Mark Grote), SportsUSA Radio (Larry Kahn, Mark Carrier)
Kickoff time: Noon CT
Site: Soldier Field; Chicago
Referee: Land Clark
Odds: Bears -1.5 (-110), O/U 44.5 (via DraftKings Sports Book)
Game Thread (Week 2 Preview)
Your game thread is down in the comments, so let’s have some good, clean (safe-for-work) fun. And hopefully, we can avoid any of the unpleasantries we had last week.
Hype Video
Coaches
Bears Matt Nagy (28-21) vs. Bengals Zac Taylor (7-25)
Week 2 Starting Quarterbacks and Projected Game Stats
BEARS: Andy Dalton: 22/35, 244 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 3 carries, 11 rushing yards
versus
BENGALS: Joe Burrow: 23/35, 258 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 3 carries, 14 yards
Projected stats via ESPN projections
Bears Offense (Projected Starters in Bold)
RB David Montgomery
Reserves: Damien Williams, Khalil Herbert
WR Allen Robinson II, Darnell Mooney, Marquise Goodwin
Reserves: Damiere Byrd, Nsimba Webster
TE Cole Kmet
Reserves: Jimmy Graham, Jesse James, J.P. Holtz
LT Jason Peters
LG Cody Whitehair
C Sam Mustipher
RG James Daniels
RT Germain Ifedi
Reserves: Elijah Wilkinson, Alex Bars
Bears Defense
DT Akiem Hicks
NT Khyiris Tonga
DE Bilal Nichols
Reserves: Angelo Blackson, Margus Hunt
OLB Khalil Mack, Robert Quinn
Reserves: Jeremiah Attaochu
ILB Roquan Smith, Alec Ogletree
Reserves: Christian Jones, Caleb Johnson, Joel Iyiegbuniwe
CB Jaylon Johnson, Kindle Vildor
Reserves: Duke Shelley, Artie Burns, Xavier Crawford
S Eddie Jackson, Tashaun Gipson Sr.
Reserves: Deon Bush, Marqui Christian, DeAndre Houston-Carson
Bears Special Teams
Cairo Santos (kicker), Pat O’Donnell (punter), Patrick Scales (long-snapper), Khalil Herbert (kick returners), Nsimba Webster (punts)
Bears Inactives
Inactives for #CINvsCHI: pic.twitter.com/bsZxxGgcyw
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 19, 2021
Seeing Eddie Goldman inactive isn’t surprising, especially after seeing him go from practicing with limitations to not participating at all. But Trevis Gipson? Going with just three pass-rushing outside linebackers seems like a questionable risk.
Bengals Projected Starters
Offense
• QB Joe Burrow
• RB Joe Mixon
• WRs Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase
• TE C.J. Uzomah, Drew Sample
• LT Jonah Williams, LG Quinton Spain, C Trey Hopkins, RG Xavier Su’a-Filo, RT Riley Reiff
Defense
• DE Trey Hendrickson, DT D.J. Reader, DT Larry Ogunjobi, DE Sam Hubbard
• LBs Germaine Pratt, Logan Wilson
• CBs Chidobe Awuzie, Mike Hilton, Eli Apple
• S Vonn Bell, Jessie Bates III
Specialists
• Evan McPherson (kicker), Kevin Huber (punter, holder), Clark Harris (long snapper), Brandon Wilson (kick returns), Darius Phillips (punt returns)
Bengals Inactives
The biggest Bengals inactive news is that the two players who were questionable are active. CB Darius Phillips and LB Markus Bailey will play.
The inactives:
WR Trenton Irwin
CB Trae Waynes
CB Nick McCloud
OG D’Ante Smith
OT Fred Johnson
DT Tyler Shelvin— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) September 19, 2021
