Postgame Observations: Bengals Struggle in Chicago, Lose to Bears 20-17

Cincinnati falls to 1-1 on the season.

Author:
James Rapien
Publish date:
Sep 19, 2021 3:58 PM EDT

CINCINNATI — The Bengals rallied late, but they fell short in Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Bears.

Cincinnati got off to a slow start and couldn't recover at Soldier Field. The Bengals never led in the game and trailed 20-3 midway through the fourth quarter.

Two late-game scores weren't enough to steal one on the road.

Here are some of our postgame observations:

Offense

The Bengals' offense struggled throughout the game. They never could get into a rhythm. Tyler Boyd's 22-yard reception was the longest play of the day.

Joe Burrow completed 19-of-30 pass attempts for 207 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

The Bengals pushed the ball down the field in Week 1 against the Vikings, but there wasn't nearly as much of that on Sunday in Chicago. It got so bad that the Bears' defensive backs were just sitting on every route the Bengals' receivers were running.

Boyd led the team in receiving with seven receptions for 73 yards.

Cincinnati finally showed signs of life late in the fourth quarter as Burrow found Ja'Marr Chase for a 42-yard touchdown.

Turnovers

The Bengals turned the ball over four times. Tee Higgins had a costly fumble and Joe Burrow threw three interceptions, including a costly pick-six that essentially put the game away in the fourth quarter.

Burrow's trio of interceptions came on three-straight fourth quarter plays.

Bengals second-year linebacker Logan Wilson had an interception of his own following Chase's touchdown catch, which gave Cincinnati a chance to get back in the game.

Burrow found Tee Higgins for a seven-yard touchdown on the very next play and the Bengals cut the lead to 20-17.

Sacks

Burrow was under pressure throughout the game on Sunday. He was sacked four times and hit another nine times. He's been sacked nine times so far this season.

Bad Record

Head coach Zac Taylor falls to 0-20 when the Bengals trail after three quarters. He's 3-14-1 in one score games since being named head coach in 2019.

Up Next

The Bengals head to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers on Sunday, Sept. 19. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET at Heinz Field.

Make sure you bookmark All Bengals for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more with the season opener just a few days away!

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