Sometimes a big menu can be overwhelming.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Chicago Bears realized that simple is better, limiting their part of the Week 9 menu to only offense. Plenty of points and yards were available in the buffet as the two Midwest teams battled for a much-needed win.
Chicago ultimately walked away with the 47-42 victory, which included a few last-second lead changes. Cincinnati scored a pair of touchdowns with an onside kick recovery in between, totaling 15 points in the final two minutes.
Instead, it was the rookie tight end, Colston Loveland, who got the last laugh for the visitors, scoring the 58-yard touchdown with 17 seconds left.
On a day that included seven lead changes and some gaudy numbers on offense, we’ll do our best to piece together this Week 9 contest. Here’s a look at the Bengals and Bears showdown, by the numbers.
Bengals-Bears by the numbers
1,071
The combined total yards between Cincinnati and Chicago on Sunday. It is about half the amount of total yards gained by the Tennessee Titans (2,196 in nine games), Cleveland Browns (2,108 in eight games) and Arizona Cardinals (2,172 in seven games).
576
…represents the most total yards in a game this season. Chicago’s 576 surpassed the Denver Broncos’ 512 yards that they notched in Week 4 against these same Bengals.
15
Missed tackles. Per NextGenStats, Cincinnati entered Week 9 with a league-high 94 missed tackles for 645 additional yards and managed to add 15 more for 133 yards, including one on Loveland’s game-winning touchdown.
21.78
The top speed that Charlie Jones hit on his kick return touchdown the open the game. It puts the returner into the top 10 of fastest ball carriers during the 2025 season. It represents the seventh-fastest speed entering Week 9.
38
…points are apparently not enough to win. The Bengals scored at least 38 points in back-to-back weeks but lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Jets and the Bears. They are the first team since the 1966 Giants to score at least 38 points in back-to-back games and lose, per ESPN Insights.
The Bengals are also the first team in the Super Bowl era to allow more than 500 total yards, more than 38 points, and have zero takeaways in consecutive games, according to NFL researcher Dante Koplowitz-Fleming.
1961
The last time a Bears rookie tight end finished with at least 100 receiving yards in a game. Loveland joined Mike Ditka in that exclusive club after his 118 yards in Week 9, per NFL researcher Dante Koplowitz-Fleming.