Another week of NFL preseason action is coming up. The Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) will take on the Chicago Bears (2-0) on Saturday, August 17, at 1:00 PM ET. This battle will be at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, where the Bears have a point spread of -5.5 (-115).
The Bengals are coming off a 17-14 defeat against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their preseason opener. This was the first time that quarterback Joe Burrow had played since his wrist surgery. He took a handful of snaps and landed one touchdown before sitting out the rest of the game.
They seem confident in their offense and have the tools to succeed. They capped off a 9-8 season last year in the AFC North. This matchup will show a handful of starters getting some work in with other roster additions, so look for a lower-scoring output once again.
Offensively, they averaged 21.5 points per game and put up 366 total points last season. This put them around the league average, coming in at 16th. At this rate, they are more appealing here than the Bears.
On defense, the Bengals struggled to hold teams to 22.6 points a game, with 384 total points allowed. This ranked them 21st in the league, below the league average.
The Bears went 7-10 last year and aim to find a better way to succeed. They will need a better outlook in the NFC North, as they came in last in the previous season with struggling defensive moments.
They are currently on a two-game win streak, having recorded wins against the Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills. So far, they have averaged 27.0 points and allowed 11.5 points per game in these two battles.
Their offense last season recorded 360 points, or 21.2 points a game. This effort placed them 18th in the league, so it was slightly below average.
The Bears' defense was slightly better last season than the Bengals, but not much. They allowed their opponents to average 22.3 points a game (379 total), ranking them at 20th in the league.
MyBookie has the NFL betting odds for the Cincinnati Bengals vs. Chicago Bears matchup, showing the Bears as 5.5-point favorites. Both teams have shown different levels of success, with the Bears looking better on paper so far.
The Bears have made quality adjustments and have looked great, with Caleb Williams getting some time under center. The Bengals' defense was not great last season, and they are having issues again. Look for the Bears to get another strong win.
