The Bears will open their home schedule against the Bengals Sunday at Soldier Field. Here are some nuggets about the matchup:
(1) The last five Bears-Bengals games have been decided by an average margin of 21 points. They include Bears wins of 24-0 (2001), 24-21 (2013) and 33-7 (2017) and losses of 24-7 (2005) and 45-10 (2009).
(2) The last time the Bengals visited Soldier Field, it was also for the Bears' home opener, with the Bears registering a 24-21 victory Sept. 8, 2013 in Marc Trestman's first game as coach. The Bears won their only other home opener against Cincinnati 17-14 in 1989.
(3) A victory would give the Bears the first three-game winning streak by either team in their all-time series against the Bengals, which began in 1972. The Bears trail the series 6-5.
(4) The Bears enter Sunday's contest with an eight-game winning streak against the AFC North, having swept the division in both 2013 and 2017. In 2017, they defeated the Steelers 23-17 in overtime and Browns 20-3 at home and the Ravens 27-24 in overtime and Bengals 33-7 on the road.
(5) The Bears' 33-7 win over the Bengals Dec. 10, 2017 in Cincinnati was their most lopsided victory in John Fox's three seasons as coach (2015-17).
(6) Bears quarterback Andy Dalton spent his first nine NFL seasons with the Bengals from 2011-19 and is the franchise's all-time leader in passer rating (87.5), 300-yard games (28), completions (2,757) and touchdowns (204).
(7) After losing four straight home openers from 2014-17, the Bears are 2-1 under coach Matt Nagy, beating the Seahawks 24-17 in 2018 and Giants 17-13 in 2020 and losing to the Packers 10-3 in 2019. The Bears won eight of nine home openers from 2005-13, with their only loss coming in overtime to the Buccaneers 27-24 in 2008.
(8) The top rushing performance by a Bears player against the Bengals came in 2001 when Anthony Thomas rushed for 188 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries in a 24-0 win in Cincinnati.
(9) The most prolific outing by a Bears receiver versus the Bengals came in 1986 when Willie Gault amassed 174 yards on seven catches, including a 53-yard touchdown from Jim McMahon, in a 44-7 victory in Cincinnati.
