The Cincinnati Bengals lost to the Chicago Bears 47-42 on Sunday to fall to 3-6. What seemed like a sure-fire Chicago victory on the road quickly turned into an epic collapse for Ben Johnson’s squad. But a Colston Loveland touchdown in the final minute changed everything. For the Bengals, Joe Flacco had a career day that went to waste once again.
“Career-high 457 yards for Flacco. First career 400-yard game. Previous high was 389. What shoulder injury?” Jay Morrison of Sports Illustrated asked after Flacco’s ridiculous day. The veteran was on the injury report all week with an AC joint sprain. He played and put up the most yards in his lengthy career despite the loss. Flacco ended up with 470 yards after the final drive.
The Bengals were losing 41-27 when Flacco threw an interception that Tremaine Edwards returned for a Bears touchdown. But the review determined he was down by contact, keeping the deficit at 14 points. The Bengals’ defense made their only stop of the second half, giving Cincinnati the ball back with 2:15 to go.
Flacco threw a 23-yard touchdown to Noah Fant and hit Tee Higgins for the two-point conversion, cutting the deficit to six, with 1:43 to play. The Bengals then scooped up the onside kick and scored again, Flacco to Andrei Iosivas, in just 49 seconds. With a stunning one-point lead and just 54 seconds to play, the game was surely over.
But the Bears marched down the field, stunning the Bengals’ defense with a touchdown by Loveland from 58 yards out. A last-gasp attempt from Flacco was intercepted, his second of the day, and ended the game. After last week’s fourth-quarter collapse against the New York Jets, the Bengals needed this win to stay in the AFC North race. They thought they had it, but the much-maligned defense fell short once again.
The Bengals are 3-6 heading into their bye.