The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Chicago Bears 27-9 in preseason Week 2 on Saturday night, with the game notable for stark differences in roster availability between the two teams.
Per ESPN, 40-year-old journeyman Josh Johnson led the Bengals to victory while Joe Burrow, Joe Flacco, and other starters and key backups remained in street clothes. The Bears, by contrast, began the game with most of their starters active, per reporting from Windy City Gridiron.
The loss marked the first preseason defeat of the Ben Johnson era for Chicago, with the Bears unable to generate offensive momentum in Cincinnati. Windy City Gridiron noted that film review sessions under Johnson following the loss would likely prove unpleasant. For the Bengals, individual performances drew attention—ESPN and other outlets highlighted strong efforts from players like Dohnte Meyers, who strengthened his case for the 53-man roster in the victory.