If last week was all celebration at Soldier Field after defeating the Browns 34-10, the trip to Ohio offered a necessary reality check. The Chicago Bears fell 27-9 to the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium and left without finding the end zone.

In preseason, the final score matters less than execution, discipline, and individual evaluation. However, a loss of this nature leaves signals that should not be ignored: Chicago committed 11 penalties, converted only two third downs, and again showed doubts in quarterback protection.

The visit to Cincinnati did not start on Saturday night. The most useful test for starters occurred two days earlier, during an intense joint practice that showed both the potential and weaknesses of this team.

I. The Joint Practice: Lights and Shadows

Ben Johnson and Zac Taylor used the Thursday session to face their first units in a competitive, but controlled environment. For many starters, those repetitions had more value than the actual game itself.

Caleb Responds in the Red Zone

Caleb Williams produced the best segment of the offense by throwing three touchdown passes during a red zone drill.

The first came through the middle to Colston Loveland, who caught the ball despite the tight coverage from safety Jordan Battle. After practice, Caleb explained that he recognized a coverage with a single deep safety and trusted that Loveland could win through the middle.

“Colston ran a great route and made a great catch.”

— Caleb Williams

In the next touchdown, Williams faked the delivery and found Kalif Raymond completely open. The third came with a catch by Kaden Davis near the right sideline.

Caleb also highlighted the quick adaptation of Raymond, who already knows much of the system having worked with Johnson in Detroit. On Davis, he praised his ability to learn plays, align correctly, and make explosive plays.

Thieneman Finds the Ball Again

On the other side, the rookie safety Dillon Thieneman intercepted a tipped pass from Joe Burrow. The play confirmed a positive trend in camp: Thieneman tends to appear near the ball and capitalize on opportunities.

The interception deserves attention, but also measures. He is still a rookie learning Allen’s system and still needs to prove he can maintain discipline through full series.

Dexter Lawrence Imposes His Presence

One of Cincinnati’s most important additions appeared at a decisive moment. The defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, acquired from the New York Giants before the 2026 Draft, repeatedly collapsed the interior of the offensive line.

With the Bears up by a point in a situational drill, Lawrence read a screen pass from Caleb, tipped the ball at the line, and completed the interception himself. The play allowed Cincinnati to position for a simulated field goal that decided the series.

It wasn’t an isolated mistake by Williams: it was a demonstration of the effect a dominant defensive tackle can have on the offensive line’s center. Lawrence turned a play designed to neutralize pressure into a turnover.

A Complicated Closing for the Offense

Cincinnati’s defense also dominated the closing of the two-minute drill. Myles Murphy recorded two simulated sacks against Theo Benedet, one of them for safety. In the final play, Caleb escaped to the right and threw too high in the middle; the ball was tipped by Loveland and Jalen Davis ended up with the interception.

Williams took responsibility after practice:

“I have to bring the ball down. I threw it too high.”

— Caleb Williams

The sequence summed up the day: there were moments of precision and talent, but the pressure once again disrupted the offense’s rhythm. Protecting Caleb better continues to be a priority.

II. Caleb’s Preseason Debut

After the Thursday workload, the Chicago offensive starters participated only in the first series on Saturday. Ben Johnson explained that they received those repetitions because the coaching staff considered the accumulated work during the week insufficient.

The offense advanced 33 yards in eight plays. Williams opened with an 18-yard pass to Rome Odunze and then found Colston Loveland for another 10. Chicago reached the 17-yard line of Cincinnati and seemed on track to the end zone.

Then came the error that changed the series.

A penalty for holding against the left tackle Braxton Jones pushed the offense back. Caleb failed his next three throws under pressure and the Bears had to settle for a 45-yard field goal by Cairo Santos.

Williams finished with two completions in five attempts for 28 yards. The sample was too small to draw a judgment on his preparation, but the series left a known lesson: penalties and pressure can quickly turn a touchdown opportunity into three points.

Caleb remained optimistic about the group’s progress and pointed out that conversations with Johnson, the receivers, and the center Garrett Bradbury will help synchronize the offense before the regular season debut.

“We have to find a way to be on the same page to arrive fired up on September 13.”

— Caleb Williams

III. Eleven Penalties and an Offense Without Touchdowns

With Tyson Bagent out due to a groin injury, Case Keenum replaced Williams and completed 9 of 17 passes for 119 yards.

His best connection was a short pass that the rookie tight end Sam Roush turned into a 26-yard gain. Before halftime, Keenum found JP Richardson for 19 yards and left Santos in position to connect on his third field goal of the night.

The problem was that Chicago never got back in the game.

The Bears committed 11 penalties for 81 yards, with infractions spread between starters and reserves. The offense converted only 2 of 14 third downs, while the defense allowed Cincinnati to advance on 6 of 13.

Ben Johnson did not try to soften the result:

“It doesn’t matter if it’s preseason: there’s a bad feeling in the locker room when you lose like that.”

— Ben Johnson

The coach pointed out three main problems: the penalties, the third downs on both sides of the ball, and the inability to finish drives with touchdowns.

“Eleven penalties and 2 of 14 on third down aren’t enough. Those errors will destroy you against a good team.”

— Ben Johnson

Caleb agreed with his coach. He remembered that the result doesn’t count for the standings, but insisted that execution does matter.

“We understand it’s preseason and doesn’t count, but it does matter. We have to watch the film and tell ourselves the truth.”

— Caleb Williams

IV. The Run Defense Offers a Positive Signal

Not everything was negative. Chicago limited Cincinnati to 64 yards on 20 carries, an average of 3.2 per carry.

Johnson attributed that performance to the work of the line in attacking blocks, the communication of the linebackers, and the positioning of the secondary defenders to tackle in open field.

The other standout moment came with the interception of Skylar Thomas, who launched himself to secure a pass from Sean Clifford near midfield. The play gave Chicago a new possession, although the offense couldn’t turn it into points.

Containing the run for two consecutive games is an encouraging sign. Nonetheless, it will be necessary to check if that consistency holds when opposing offenses use their starters and present complete game plans.

V. Medical Report and Roster Movements

The situation of Tyson Bagent was the main absence of the night. The quarterback suffered a groin injury after the game against Cleveland. The problem is not considered serious, but it prevented him from participating in the joint practice and the game against Cincinnati.

The competition for the left tackle continues open. Braxton Jones returned after previous injuries and started the game with the first unit, while Ozzy Trapilo continues to gradually increase his workload after being activated from the PUP list. His return to practice does not mean he is ready to play all repetitions.

In the secondary, Coby Bryant continues out after his knee surgery. Xavier Woods, who suffered an injury in the groin against Cleveland, remains among the players whose progress needs to be monitored before the regular season begins.

The tight end Nikola Kalinic was released with a designation of injury and later moved to the injured reserve list. Chicago also released running back Coleman Bennett and signed defensive lineman Marcus Davenport and defensive back Deantre Prince.

No new significant injury was reported as a direct result of the game against Cincinnati, a valuable news at this stage of the schedule.

The FanaticOSO Note

Losing in August doesn’t ruin a season, just as winning 34-10 a week earlier didn’t guarantee a deep and prepared roster.

The trip to Cincinnati left a more useful than pleasant picture. The starting offense showed it could move the ball, but a single penalty was enough to stop it. The backups accumulated penalties, failed on third downs, and didn’t find the end zone. The run defense, on the other hand, once again performed well.

The statements from Johnson and Williams are important because neither tried to hide behind the word “preseason.” Both recognized that the score doesn’t count, but the mistakes do.

The final stop will be Nashville. The Bears will have a joint practice with the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, August 27 and will close the preseason on Saturday, August 29 at 5:00 p.m. Central Time at Nissan Stadium.

For some players, it will be the last chance to earn a spot before the 53-man roster cut. For the starters, it will be the last competitive week of work before starting preparation for Carolina.

August serves to discover problems without paying the price of an official loss. The Bears already know theirs.

Now it’s time to fix them.

Bear Down. 🐻⬇️