ClutchPoints
The Bears face a crucial game in Week 9 as they travel to Cincinnati to face the explosive but defensively porous Bengals. The Bears (4-3) are coming off a disappointing loss to the Baltimore Ravens, a game that could have given them a five-game winning streak. Instead, they came through with a substandard effort and that cost them a victory.
The Bengals had a 15-point lead over the Jets at the end of three quarters in Week 8, but they could not handle that advantage and they dropped a 39-38 decision to the previously winless opponent. The Bengals (3-5) have been up against it since early in the season when All-Pro quarterback Joe Burrow went down with a Grade 3 turf toe injury.
The Bengals have attempted to stay afloat by trading for veteran Joe Flacco. While he has done a fine job since being acquired, the Bengals defense has been the worst in the league. The Bengals rank dead last in points allowed as they are giving up 31.6 points per game, and they also have the worst rushing defense in the league.
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
If the Bears are going to get back on the winning track, they need a big game from Caleb Williams with support from his running game.
The big issue for the Bears quarterback has been his decision making. It has neither been fast enough nor on point. He regularly takes a fraction of a second too long to get rid of the ball, and he doesn’t always throw to the receiver that should get the football.
The secondary issue for Williams is accuracy. He has missed open receivers at multiple points this season. Head coach Ben Johnson has been working with him on his decision making and the way he reads defenses.
Williams has certainly shown improvement from his rookie season. He has completed 138 of 223 passes for 1,636 yards with 9 TDs and 4 interceptions. While these figures don’t compare with the best in the game, he has been productive.
He has a pair of excellent receivers in Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore. Odunze has caught 31 passes for 473 yard and 5 TDs, while Moore has caught 26-331-1. The Bears also have a pair of productive tight ends in Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland who should be third-down assets in this game.
The Bears passing game should be able to take advantage of Cincinnati’s generous secondary.
The Bengals have been unable to stop any opponent from running the ball successfully. Cincinnati is on track to have the worst defense in team history.
That’s music to the ears of D’Andre Swift, the Bears’ best running back. He has explosive speed when he gets to the second level, and that should happen against the Bengals.
Swift has gained 464 yards on 100...
