Bears vs. Texans predictions: Can Caleb Williams, offense find a rhythm?

It’s not make-or-break time for the Bears… yet. Caleb Williams wasn’t going to be perfect in his debut. Nobody quite expected 14/29 for 92 yards, but hey — no turnovers! Tennessee is (hopefully) one of the tougher defenses the Bears will face this season. Houston won’t be a cakewalk either.

Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter could have a field day off the edge if the Bears’ offensive line struggles as much as it did against the Titans. And if Keenan Allen (heel) or Rome Odunze (knee) can’t go on Sunday night, that’s just another hurdle for Caleb to overcome.

Defensively, it’s another story. However, C.J. Stroud is not Will Levis. Tennessee entered and exited Week 1 with plenty of questions on the offensive side of the ball. The Houston Texans’ offense is further along and with much better weapons.

The Bears won the first matchup of the year between the teams, albeit an exhibition Hall of Fame Game. Can Chicago continue their winning ways?

Onto Week 2.

Adam Hoge (1-0) | Bears 23, Texans 20

Week 2 is all about overreactions and corrections. The +6.5 spread on this matchup is way too much. The Bears’ defense should continue to play well and the offense will manage at least one touchdown this week, probably two. I expect this to be a great game and come down to a Cairo Santos field goal.

🔎 GO DEEPER | Check out Adam Hoge’s latest ‘Bears Things’ newsletter previewing the exciting matchup between Houston’s receivers and Chicago’s secondary.

Nicholas Moreano (1-0) | Texans 23, Bears 17

The Bears absolutely had to win in Week 1, and the team found a way. This Sunday night matchup against the Texans, however, will be a lot more difficult. C.J. Stroud and his trio of receivers present a far greater challenge than Will Levis and the Titans’ playmakers. I think the Bears’ defense does a decent job of keeping this game close, but Caleb Williams having two injured receivers in Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze definitely doesn’t make things easier for the rookie quarterback. Williams plays more on time and shows better accuracy in this game, but it’s not enough to take down Houston.

📖 READ | Nicholas Moreano’s latest column breaking down last Sunday’s best plays with Andrew Billings, Jaquan Brisker, and T.J. Edwards.

Corey Wootton | Texans 24, Bears 17

I think the offense is a work in progress. Those pass rushers from the Texans worry me. Both tackles have struggled against Hunter and Will Anderson is one of the emerging pass rushers in the League. Texans have a bunch of weapons at the WR position (Collins, Dell, and Diggs), plus a talented back in Mixon. Tough matchup for the Bears, but this will give a true test of where they are.

Greg Braggs Jr. | Texans 24, Bears 17

Score gets flipped from last week to this week. This time the Bears will be on the losing end but the offense finds a way to get their feet under them and get in the end zone a couple times. Tough test for the Bears with some injuries they’re dealing with on the road in primetime. At the end of the day the Bears are playing with house money so if the defense can get some early turnovers, maybe the Bears can pull off the upset. Not likely, though.

Mark Carman | Texans 28, Bears 17

C.J. Stroud and the Texans are ready for Sunday night primetime. The Bears are not there yet. Stroud shows the Bears what they are missing by trading the #1 pick throwing 2 TD passes while the Bears offense takes a step forward but only a mini-one.

Kevin Kaduk | Texans 21, Bears 13

Many people had this penciled in as a loss in their preseason projections and last weekend’s result combined with this week’s injury report won’t change many minds.  Caleb Williams will get a few more things going on offense, but the development process rolls on.

Patrick Norton | Bears 26, Texans 22

Before the regular season began, I said the Bears would lose two games outside of the NFC North: Houston in Week 2 and San Francisco in Week 14. Call me crazy, but I can’t shake this feeling that the Bears’ offense will show up on Sunday night. Far from a finished product, but enough to give the defense some rest. Now, if Folorunso Fatukasi steamrolls Coleman Shelton on the first offensive snap for the Bears, disregard.

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