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The Bears are looking to bounce back after last week’s loss in Baltimore snapped their four-game winning streak, and they’ll have a chance to do so against a struggling Bengals team that’s fighting through its own set of issues.
Chicago travels to Cincinnati with a defense still not at full strength — Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon remain sidelined — but Tyrique Stevenson is set to return to the lineup, which should help stabilize a depleted secondary. On offense, the Bears are dealing with several key players battling through injuries. DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and D’Andre Swift — all of whom played last week — have been limited in practice, and their availability and effectiveness remain question marks heading into Sunday. Even if they suit up, it’s fair to expect they’ll be less than 100 percent as the Bears look to find their footing again after last week’s loss in Baltimore.
Oct 19, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift (4) rushes the ball for a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints during the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn ImagesThe Bengals’ defense has been one of the worst in football through eight weeks, ranking near the bottom in both passing defense and red-zone scoring. Opponents have shredded them through the air and on the ground, and Cincinnati hasn’t shown much resistance in either phase. That’s good news for Caleb Williams and a Bears offense that has moved the ball well between the 20s but struggled to finish drives. If there’s ever a week to fix that problem, it’s this one.
Ben Johnson has been vocal about wanting more discipline from his group, particularly when it comes to penalties — an issue that has repeatedly stalled drives. Chicago committed 11 penalties for 79 yards last week, and Johnson put the responsibility squarely on his players to clean it up. The Bears have shown they can respond after setbacks; the last time they lost, they came out the following week and throttled a bad Cowboys defense 31-14.
Sep 21, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) throws a touchdown pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn ImagesCincinnati, meanwhile, is dealing with uncertainty at quarterback. Joe Flacco is battling a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder and is considered 50-50 to play. If he can’t go, Jake Browning — who’s struggled in limited action this season — would start. Either way, the Bengals offense has been inconsistent, leaning heavily on Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to keep them afloat.
That’s where the challenge lies for Chicago’s defense. Chase and Higgins are one of the league’s most dangerous receiving duos, capable of changing a game in a single snap. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s group will need to find ways to limit explosive plays and create turnovers. That’s been the formula for success all season — the Bears have forced three or more takeaways in each of their four wins and just one total in their three losses.
It feels risky to believe in a banged-up team on the road, but this matchup sets up favorably. If Caleb Williams protects the football, D’Andre Swift can establish the run early, and the Bears capitalize in the red zone, they’ll have every opportunity to bounce back against one of the NFL’s softest defenses and head into November with some momentum.
Chicago Bears Keys to Victory Against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9
Chicago Bears Keys to Victory Against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9Game Info
Chicago Bears (2025: 4-3) vs Cincinnati Bengals (2025: 3-5)
TV: CBS (Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta, Aditi Kinkhabwala), NFL Network*Streaming: NFL+ *, ChicagoBears.com, Chicago Bears App, ESPNRadio: ESPN 1000 AM (Jeff Joniak, Tom Thayer, Jason McKie); LATINO MIX 93.5 FM (Omar Ramos)
Kickoff Time: 12:00 PM CTSite: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH.Referee: Clete BlakemanOdds: Bengals -2.5, O/U 51.5 (via BetMGM)
Bears Projected Starters
Oct 19, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards (53) takes the field before the game against the New Orleans Saints at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn ImagesOffense
QB – Caleb Williams RB – D’Andre Swift WR – DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Olamide Zaccheaus TE – Colston Loveland OL – Theo Benedet, Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, Jonah Jackson, Darnell WrightDefense
DL – Montez Sweat, Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter Sr., Dayo Odeyingbo LB – Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Noah Sewell CB – Tyrique Stevenson, Nahshon Wright, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson S – Kevin Byard III, Jaquan BriskerSpecialists
Cairo Santos (kicker), Tory Taylor (punter, holder), Scott Daly (long snapper), Devin Duvernay (kick and punt returner)Bengals Projected Starters
Offense
QB – Joe Flacco RB – Chase Brown WR – Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas TE – Noah Fant OL – Orlando Brown Jr., Dylan Fairchild, Ted Karras, Jalen Rivers, Amarius MimsDefense
DL – Joseph Ossai, T.J. Slaton Jr., B.J. Hill, Trey Hendrickson LB – Demetrius Knight Jr., Barrett Carter, Logan Wilson CB – DJ Turner II, Cam Taylor-Britt, Dax Hill S – Geno Stone, Jordan BattleSpecialists
Evan McPherson (kicker), Ryan Rekhow (punter, holder), Williams Wagner (long snapper), Charlie Jones (kick and punt returner) Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) celebrates after breaking away for a long run on a reception in the second quarter of the NFL Week 2 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. The Jaguars led 17-10 at halftime.Three Bears
Every week, our Chicago Bears writers will give you their Bears player to watch in the matchup ahead. Three Bears is a staple of these previews, and with Bears coverage expanding this season, I thought it would be cool to involve all of the Bears thinkers in the exercise.
Patrick Flowers: Caleb Williams — Chicago’s secondary is banged up, and Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins will do some damage. It’s not about stopping them with the secondary in its current state; it’s about surviving them, which will require Chicago’s offense to score, probably a bunch. Caleb Williams is going to have to find success against a bad Cincinnati pass defense and an even worse red zone scoring defense.
Luis Medina: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson — The newest member of the Chicago Bears secondary jumps out of the frying pan and into the fryer by going from street free-agent to possibly guarding Ja’Marr Chase or Tee Higgins on any given play. As a long-time advocate of trial-by-fire methods, I look forward to seeing what CJGJ looks like in a Bears uniform. Maybe he can get Chase or Higgins amped up enough to throw hands and get ejected. It might be Chicago’s best shot at slowing down that tandem on Sunday.
Matt Rooney: Red Zone Offense — Okay, fine, I’m cheating a bit here by not picking a specific player, but I’m getting quite sick of seeing golden opportunities for sixes turn into threes. Last week, it cost the Bears the game. It would have cost them in Washington if not for a timely Jayden Daniels fumble. Start scoring touchdowns in the red zone. This falls on everyone from Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson down through the whole offense. Figure it out against a terrible defense.
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