In an oddity to the Chicago Bears' 2024 preseason schedule, Saturday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals is the only preseason game that the Bears will host at Soldier Field this year. This is due to the Bears' inclusion in the NFL's Hall of Fame game, where they were considered the home team.
Earlier this week, Bengals' head coach Zac Taylor announced that the team's starters will not be playing in the game. Taylor's decision was driven by the fact that the Bears and Bills had a joint practice at Halas Hall on Thursday.
Bears vs. Bengals Game Time:
Kickoff between the Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals is at 12 pm CST. While the appeal to the start of the game is not the same as it would be if it were Caleb Williams going head-to-head against Joe Burrow, Saturday is another opportunity for players such as Micah Baskerville to continue their ascension toward making the 53-man roster.
Bears vs. Bengals Location:
The Bears will be at home for the first time this preseason when they play the Bengals on Saturday. The game will be played at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.
Bears vs. Bengals Streaming and TV:
Locally, the game will be available on Fox Chicago. Additionally, the game can be streamed on NFL+.
Bears vs. Bengals Odds:
As of Thursday morning, the Bears are a six-point favorite according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The Bears money line is at -265 with the over/under for the game at 36.5.
What to Watch for in Bears vs. Bengals Game:
All eyes should be on Velus Jones Jr. At the very least, the Bears want the message out there that Jones has a chance of making the roster as a gadget running back. The issue with that is when Jones enters the game as a running back; teams will undoubtedly know the ball will be going his direction, given his otherwise poor blocking skills. While Jones had some impressive carries last week against the Buffalo Bills, he struggled to handle a toss in addition to continued struggles fielding kickoffs. At the end of the day, that could be the reason why Jones is off the roster by the end of the preseason.