Josh Johnson’s Two Touchdowns Help Bengals Backups Take a 17-9 Halftime Lead

The Bengals used their first extended look at the backup group to make a statement in Saturday night’s preseason opener at Paycor Stadium, taking a 17-9 lead at halftime behind 14-year quarterback Josh Johnson’s two touchdown passes. The opening moments offered a clear contrast in roles: Cincinnati’s reserves faced Chicago’s starters for long enough to test structure and timing, and for stretches, the Bengals answered the challenge with quick, productive plays.

According to the Bengals’ game coverage, the first ten minutes settled into a 3-3 stalemate before Cincinnati’s second wave began to sharpen. First-year wide receiver Dohnte Meyers was a focal point of that momentum, continuing his push for a roster bid. The team’s report frames the early half as a period when Meyers “lit up” the field, underscoring how preseason reps can compress the evaluation timeline for players competing for depth snaps.

Colbie Young also played into that half’s story. With the starters off the field and jobs up for grabs, Young’s contributions helped keep Cincinnati moving when the game turned toward the evaluation portion of the contest. In preseason settings, those are the moments coaches look for most, production that holds up after the novelty of the opening drive fades.

Johnson’s role was more than simply handing off to an offense built around the second unit. The Bengals’ release says he connected on two touchdown passes, giving the reserves their margin at the break. For a backup quarterback in preseason, accuracy to playmakers and decision-making under live-game conditions matter as much as the final stat line, particularly when the opposing starter group is still on the field early in the night.

The Bears-portion of the equation mattered, too. Chicago’s starters were present long enough for the first quarter to function like a measuring stick for Cincinnati’s backups, with the game lingering close early before opening up later in the half. That sequence, as described by Cincinnati’s team report, makes the 17-9 halftime lead more notable than a purely one-sided stretch against backups, because it suggests the Bengals’ second unit can sustain drives even when the opponent’s first protections and coverage structure remain intact.

For Cincinnati, the practical takeaway is straightforward: preseason is a roster management exercise, and early half production from a quarterback and young wide receivers can carry real weight in week-to-week decisions. Meyers’ continued visibility in the report, paired with Johnson’s scoring connections, provides a tangible blueprint for what the staff likely wants to see from the players chasing snaps.

What to watch next is how those early impressions translate after both teams begin shifting personnel again. With preseason games, the question is rarely only who performs on one drive, it is who can replicate the process through different defensive looks and rotating personnel. If Johnson’s efficiency holds as the night deepens, and if Meyers and Young keep finding ways to separate early, Cincinnati will have a clearer answer not just on the immediate depth chart, but also on which role players can be trusted when the game’s rhythm changes.