Run Game Looks to Continue Resurgence
Cincinnati’s run game has exploded over the past two games as the Bengals totaled a combined 323 yards on the ground against the Steelers and Jets (161.5 per game), the third-most in the league since Week 7. They’ve also picked up 20 first downs via runs, tied with Kansas City for the most by any team over the past two weeks.
Leading the charge is the halfback duo of Chase Brown and Samaje Perine. Brown notched his second career 100-yard rushing game in the Thursday night win over Pittsburgh, finishing with 108 on just 11 carries for a career-best 9.8 average. His effort included his two longest runs of the season, a 37-yarder and 27-yarder which both kickstarted Bengals touchdown drives.
Perine is coming off a 94-yard effort against New York, which marked the fifth-most rushing yards in a game in his career and his most since he had 106 yards in Cincinnati’s win over the Chiefs in Week 13 of 2022. His 32-yard touchdown in the third quarter against the Jets also was the third-longest scoring run of his career.
Brown, Perine and the Bengals’ offensive line will face a Chicago run defense that has yielded 143.3 rushing yards per game this season (27th in NFL).