40-year-old journeyman QB Josh Johnson leads Bengals to 27-9 preseason victory over Bears

CINCINNATI (AP) — With Joe Burrow, Joe Flacco and the rest of Cincinnati's starters and key backups watching in street clothes, 40-year-old journeyman Josh Johnson led the Bengals to a 27-9 preseason victory over the Chicago Bears on Saturday night.

After directing a 14-play, 67-yard drive against Chicago’s starting defense to open the game, Johnson threw a pair of touchdown passes late in the second quarter to give the Bengals (2-0) an 11-point lead and ending his night.

“I think it’s always good to go out there and show you can still make plays,” said Johnson, whose first NFL season was 2008 with Tampa Bay. “In this business, people want to put labels on you and put tags on you. Everybody thinks they have the right answers. The one person I know who has the answers is the man above."

Johnson went 15 of 23 for 156 yards with touchdown passes of 17 yards to rookie wide receiver Colbie Young and 6 to veteran tight end Tanner Hudson, the latter coming with 23 seconds left in the first half.

“Josh, I thought played excellent and finished with a nice touchdown drive at halftime,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “I probably would have played him into the third quarter, but I just thought he played real clean and so I got Sean (Clifford) in there in the second half.”

Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams and the rest of the Bears' starters made their preseason debuts in cameo fashion, playing just the opening series.

Williams was 2 of 5 for 28 yards, with all three incompletions coming after Chicago (1-1) drove into the red zone only to have a holding penalty set up first-and-20 at the Bengals 27.

After the back-to-back-to-back incompletions — the second of which was off target to a wide-open Colston Loveland inside the 10 — Cairo Santos kicked a 45-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

Santos added field goals of 26 and 44 yards, but missed from 53. Cincinnati's Evan McPherson hit from 58 and 25 yards.

Case Keenum replaced Williams and played until halftime, going 9 of 17 for 119 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.

Cincinnati first-year receiver Dohnte Meyers, a Canadian Football League import, continued to make an impressive case for a spot on the 53-man roster with five catches for 41 yards, a 9-yard rush, kick returns of 29 and 25 yards and punt returns of 25 and 9 yards.

“It’s only our second preseason game, so I feel like every opportunity, every day is something where I can prove myself and continue to compete,” Meyers said. “Nothing’s set in stone. Nothing’s done. Every day is an opportunity to get better, so I feel like that’s something that I hold myself to. And I feel like that’s what the club expects from me, to continue to get better and continue to show up every day and push everybody to get better.”

Clifford replaced Johnson in the second half and immediately led a scoring drive, hitting rookie wide receiver Noah Thomas for a 20-yard touchdown that upped the Bengals’ lead to 24-9.

It's the first time since Taylor was hired in 2019 that the Bengals have won more than one preseason game.

Bears: LB Nephi Sewell was carted off late in the first half. Nearly all of the Bears players circled the cart to wish him well before he was taken into the locker room.

Bengals: LB Joe Giles-Harris was evaluated for a concussion.

Bears: Play their final preseason game at Tennessee next Saturday.

Bengals: Finish the preseason on Friday night at Philadelphia.

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow throws during a timeout during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Chicago Bears on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

Chicago Bears defensive lineman Jeremiah Martin (69) celebrates after stopping Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Kendric Pryor during the second half of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson (23) falls as he's tackled on a first down by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Joe Giles-Harris (43) and Bengals safety Russ Yeast during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Colbie Young scores a touchdown in front of Chicago Bears defensive back Dontae Manning (27) during the first half preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tanner Hudson (87) and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Josh Johnson (11) celebrate after Hudson scored a touchdown during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Chicago Bears on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

BOSTON (AP) — Eli White slid headfirst into the plate with the winning run to complete a three-run ninth-inning rally, a play that was upheld after a review, and the Boston Red Sox got to twice celebrate their 3-2 win over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night.

Wilyer Abreu hit a hard grounder that first baseman Bryce Eldridge made a diving stop on, then threw home for an attempted force, but White was ruled safe by umpire James Hoye, setting off a celebration. The Giants challenged the call on the field and the call stood after a video review, prompting a second celebration.

Willy Adames hit a solo homer over the Green Monster for the Giants, who lost for the 10th time in 13 games.

Dylan Smith had escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the eighth before Boston rallied against Sam Hentges (1-6), tying it on Nick Sogard’s RBI double down the left-field line after pinch-hitter White had a run-scoring single.

Wyatt Olds (1-0) earned the win.

Andrew Knizner also homered for the Giants.

Playing his second game in his return to Fenway Park, Giants DH Rafael Devers, who was traded by the Red Sox last season after refusing to switch positions, was booed loudly each at-bat and went 0 for 4 with a walk.

Boston won the series opener Friday behind Willson Contreras’ 450-foot, three-run homer.

Coming off a rough outing when he gave a career-high five walks when the Giants lost to Colorado, Blade Tidwell kept Boston’s batters quiet while striking out seven over 5 2/3 innings.

Patrick Sandoval gave up two solo homers and five hits in 5 2/3 innings after allowing a season-high seven earned runs in his last start.

Red Sox LHP Jake Bennett (7-6, 3.46 ERA) is set to start the series finale Sunday. The Giants haven’t named a starter.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (40) tags out San Francisco Giants' Rafael Devers, left, at first during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)

San Francisco Giants fans cheer as starting pitcher Blade Tidwell (46) leaves during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)

San Francisco Giants' Andrew Knizner (19) is congratulated by teammate Rafael Devers, left, after hitting a home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)

San Francisco Giants' Willy Adames (2) is congratulated at the dugout by teammate Drew Gilbert after hitting a home run off Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)