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This Sunday’s matchup between the Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals will prove to be one of the games of the week. As of now, it’s maybe the NFL’s best offense (Bengals) vs. maybe the NFL’s best defense (Bears).
There should be no shortage of highlights on both sides of the ball in this one.
The Bears are coming off an absolutely dominant performance as they pummeled the Detroit Lions 38-6. However, don’t let the 38 points fool you. This was not a game that was controlled by the Chicago offense. 28 of the points came off turnovers, as there were five turnovers by the Lions.
But the Bears offense was systematic. They ran the ball well. They ran to set up the pass and they used the play action effectively. That is how this team will score points, and they capitalized on the opportunities that were presented. This offense is the opposite from the team they will be facing this week.
QB Carson Palmer and WR Chad Johnson are the stars of the big play Bengal offense. Cincinnati is also in good spirits after a blowout victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
The last time these two teams faced each other was in the Bears playoff run of 2001. Chicago beat up on the Bengals pretty good as that game turned out to be the long forgotten coming out party for former Bears running back Anthony Thomas.
When looking at this game, there will be some key match ups to look for.
- Carson Palmer vs. Bears defense: This will be a good one. Palmer had three touchdowns and one interception against Minnesota. The Bears had five picks against Joey Harrington. Edge – Bears.
- Rudi Johnson vs. Brian Urlacher: Johnson has become the premier running threat for Cincy over the last few years. Urlacher is regarded as one of the best tackling linebackers in football and probably has the best range of anyone at the position. Edge – Bears.
- Kyle Orton vs. the Bengal defense: Orton looked like a veteran against the Lions. But then again, it was against the Lions. Edge – Bengals.
- Thomas Jones/Cedric Benson vs. the Bengal defense: The Bears offensive line cleaned up its act last week after a poor performance against the Redskins in week one. Expect the Bears to establish the run early with both of their backs. Edge – Bears.
- Doug Brien vs. the wind: The Bears placekicker missed two field goals last week. The Bears need him to be on his game this year. His kickoffs were impressive, though. Edge – Even.
This game should be a lot closer than last week’s games for both teams. The Bears playing at home along with a defense that is capable of making big plays makes Chicago a winner in this one.
