Bears vs texans Necessities: Recapping Chicago’s Week 2 win vs. Texans

The Houston Texans are off to a 2-0 start for the first time in eight years. After a nail-biting 29-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1, they followed it up with a hard-fought 19-13 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football. While the Week 1 win was a close call, the Texans’ Week 2 performance was more convincing, thanks to an improved defensive effort, though the game itself was far from perfect.

The Texans’ defense, led by Henry To’oto’o, stepped up significantly compared to Week 1. The team racked up seven sacks, with contributions from six different players. Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. each recorded 1.5 sacks, while Henry To’oto’o, Azeez Al-Shaair, Mario Edwards Jr., and Derek Barnett added one sack apiece.

Standout Performers:

LB Tremaine Edmunds (Bears):
The Bears’ defense deserves credit for keeping the game close, holding Houston’s high-powered offense to just 19 points. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds was the standout, tallying a team-high 11 tackles, including a tackle-for-loss, a sack, and a QB hit. His sack forced a crucial three-and-out, giving the Bears’ defense a much-needed boost.

S Kevin Byard (Bears):
Veteran safety Kevin Byard was another bright spot for Chicago. He also recorded 11 tackles, including one tackle-for-loss, and recovered a fumble that was forced by defensive tackle Andrew Billings. The fumble recovery stopped a Texans scoring drive inside the 5-yard line.

Special Teams Heroes:

K Cairo Santos and P Tory Taylor (Bears):
Cairo Santos continued to showcase why he earned his contract extension, hitting field goals from 53 and 54 yards and converting his lone extra point. Rookie punter Tory Taylor also impressed, punting six times for 248 yards, averaging 47.3 yards per punt, including a long of 57 yards, and downing two inside the 20.

Struggles:

Bears Offensive Line:
The Bears’ offensive line has been a major weak spot through the first two games. Caleb Williams was under constant pressure from Houston’s dominant defensive front, taking seven sacks. With 15 games remaining, the offensive line’s inability to protect Williams could spell trouble for the young quarterback’s durability this season.

OC Shane Waldron (Bears):
Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron didn’t help matters for the Bears. Despite some early success with quick passes, Waldron failed to stick to what was working. He also didn’t utilize key weapons like tight end Cole Kmet and running back Khalil Herbert effectively. With the offense struggling, it’s becoming clear that Waldron might not be the long-term answer in Chicago.

QB Caleb Williams (Bears):
After a rocky Week 1, Caleb Williams showed promise in the first half of the Texans game, completing 12-of-15 passes for 91 yards despite facing heavy pressure. However, the second half was a different story. Williams completed just 11-of-22 passes for 83 yards and threw two interceptions on consecutive drives. While it’s still early in his NFL career, Williams and the offense clearly have a lot of work to do, especially with the issues on the offensive line.