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The Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals played a relatively clean first half of football which resulted in a close game. The narrative changed in the second half as they combined for five turnovers, including four in back-to-back playoffs for the Bengals. Andy Dalton was effective in the first half until an ankle injury forced him out of the game, opening the door for Justin Fields, the No.11 selection in the 2021 draft.
Fields completed 6 of 13 passes for 60 yards and an interception. He’s still on the hunt for his first touchdown in the NFL. Joe Burrow, comparatively, threw three interceptions on consecutive passing attempts after throwing none in the previous 199 attempts. Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase and Allen Robinson received all three offensive touchdowns of the game.
Why the Bears won
The defense came to play Sunday at Solder Field. Burrow completed 19 of 30 attempted passes for 207 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. The unit applied pressure from all angles resulting in four sacks and spinning Cincinnati four times. Despite a valiant effort to come back, the Bengals failed. The hole they dug was too deep.
Why the Bengals lost
Cincinnati couldn’t establish ground play and found life difficult in the air. It would be difficult to overcome four turnovers per week, but especially one where the offense was gaining little ground. Cincinnati actually edged their opponent because short fields led to Chicago’s most points.
Burrow had thrown just five interceptions in 10 games last season and just six picks in his final season with LSU. He hadn’t thrown an interception in his previous 199 attempts – the longest active streak in the NFL at the time.
Turning
With 4:48 left in the third quarter, Burrow hit Higgins for 14 yards, but Higgins missed him. It was the first of four straight possessions that ended in a turnout for Cincinnati, including three interceptions on back-to-back pass attempts from Burrow. It was the first time since Ryan Fitzpatrick in week three of the 2018 season.
Chicago scored 13 of its 20 points on those turnovers.
Game play
Second-year cornerback Jaylon Johnson recorded his first-career interception with 10:19 left in the fourth quarter. Higgins appeared to be on a slow-developing return route when Johnson raced the route for him and trapped Burrow’s second straight interception. He sent him back for three yards at the Cincinnati 36-yard line.
And after
Cincinnati travel next week to take on division rival Pittsburgh and play their one and only prime-time game of the season in Week 4, as the No. 1 overall pick in each of the last two. draft, Trevor Lawrence and Jacksonville Burrow will face off. “Thursday night football.” Green Bay arrives in town the following week.
Chicago alternates home and away games week after week. After playing at home against the Bengals, the Bears will hit the road next week against another AFC North foe in the Browns. The division play begins the following week at home against Detroit.
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