Cincinnati Bengals Back in Betting Underdog Role Against Chicago Bears

Underdogs again.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) scrambles in the second quarter of the NFL Preseason Week 2 game between the Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Field in downtown Chicago on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. The Bears led 10-3 at halftime. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

CINCINNATI — The Bengals just blew a big lead as betting favorites on Sunday, and are flipping back to betting underdogs when the Bears come to town this weekend. Chicago is a 1.5-point favorite in the game with a point total set at a whopping 51.5 as two of the league's worst defenses play in this one.

Sportsbooks opened Cincinnati as a 1.5-point favorite last night, but its swung three points against them overnight.

Cincinnati is now 3-5 overall and straight up this season after blowing the first 11-point halftime lead in the Zac Taylor era to the Jets (12-0 entering the game). Chicago is 4-3 SU and ATS after a double-digit loss to the Ravens on Sunday.

The Bengals would love to bounce back and get closer to .500 entering the bye week with a win over Chicago. Someone needs to step up on one of the league's three worst defenses.

“I wouldn’t say I feel like (there’s a lack of leadership),” safety Jordan Battle said to the media in the postgame locker room. “There’s always more to be said. You can’t never say too much. You can always step up and say something … Obviously, we had some great practices, some great attention to detail throughout the week. It has to carry through in the second halves of games. Anytime you give up 39 points in a game, it’s on us. That’s the attitude we have to have as a defense. You give up 39 points, you should be mad, you should be upset, you should come back hungrier.”

The game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.

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