The Cincinnati Bengals will be taking on the Chicago Bears for the second of three preseason games this season.
Cincinnati was able to grab a win in its first contest against the Detroit Lions, with multiple starters playing in the game. There was a lot to like about the win over the Lions, but the Bengals are now focused on the Bears.
Bengals Make Announcement vs Bears
Ahead of the game, the team has announced the jersey combination. Cincinnati will wear its black home jerseys, with white pants for the game against Chicago.
Against Detroit, the Bengals wore white jerseys in front of the home crowd. This new look will give the Paycor Stadium faithful a chance to see this uniform combo for the first time in 2026.
Rooks in Saturday’s look. pic.twitter.com/8MCHVzvhcB
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) August 17, 2026
It remains to be seen if the starters such as Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins will take the field against the Bears. But given that they all played in limited series against the Lions, it’s more likely that not.
Cincinnati is looking to get itself going strong early on in the year this season after missing the playoffs in each of the past three years. So playing the starters and allowing them to ramp up before the regular season seems to be one of the smarter things that head coach Zac Taylor can do.
Taylor was very happy with the way that the team played against Detroit, and he’s looking for more in the upcoming contest.
“I am, yeah. There’s a lot of guys that got a lot of opportunity today to really showcase their abilities. Some guys really rise and stand out in these preseason games,” Taylor said. “It’ll be good to watch the tape, but there’s so much going on in a preseason game, sometimes you don’t have a full grasp on who’s making all the plays. But we’ll have a chance to watch the tape tomorrow morning and see who stood out.”
The preseason allows Cincinnati to correct different mistakes across the board, while giving the coaching staff a chance to see who will make the roster. And with the regular season starting in less than a month, the clock is ticking on this organization.
Can the Bengals Get Back to the Playoffs This Season?
Entering the year, the Bengals have been viewed as a major sleeper team across the NFL. Cincinnati completely revamped the defense this offseason, bringing in multiple veterans to help bolster the unit.
The defensive side of the ball has held Cincinnati back over the last few years, so there is a lot of hype around this group. Adding in that the offense should still be electric, the Bengals could return to being true Super Bowl contenders in the AFC.
Health will ultimately be the key for the Bengals, but this team is hopeful that the injury bug is behind them. If Cincinnati can play up to par, the sky will be the limit for the Bengals coming into this crucial 2026 season.
Bengals Reveal Fun Announcement Before Preseason Game vs Bears