Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams will lead the Chicago Bears down to Houston for a Sunday night showdown against the high-flying Texans. In a game with two prolific offenses, we could see a high-scoring affair. How will the heralded rookie QB fare after a tough showing against the Tennessee Titans last week?
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NFL Pick
- Houston Texans -7 (-110) at Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
Chicago Bears vs. Houston Texans
Sunday, September 15, 2024 – 08:20 PM ET at NRG Stadium
Chicago Bears
Number one overall draft pick Caleb Williams was considered to be the best prospect coming out of college since Trevor Lawrence. Williams had a tough start against the Tennessee Titans as the different looks that the Titans’ defense gave the Bears confused Williams and had him running for his life.
Williams was not able to set his protections properly and the Titans were able to generate pressure through a variety of exotic blitzes. He will try to learn from his mistakes this week and try to set these protections better, although this will be a work in progress for the rookie this season.
In spite of Williams’ less-than-stellar showing, the Chicago Bears were able to get the win off the strength of their defense and special teams. The Bears returned a punt for a touchdown and were also able to get a Pick 6 interception off Titans QB Will Levis to seal the victory. Although the Bears did not score an offensive TD, they did move the ball into the Titans’ territory to put up field goals, and combined with the defense and special teams, that was enough to get the victory on the road.
The Bears have to feel good about getting a win in a game in which their offense did not live up to expectations. New running back DeAndre Swift was limited against the ferocious Titans’ defensive line and will face another tough task against the strong Texans defense. However, Caleb should continue to improve all season and with even just one week of looking at the film, we should see a better performance from the talented rookie.
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans got a solid win over the Indianapolis Colts but they did allow a late touchdown for a back door cover by the Colts. However, the Texans’ offense looked to be every bit as good as advertised as their wide receivers were consistently able to get open and Texans QB CJ Stroud was able to find his mark early and often.
Texans RB Joe Mixon was effective on the ground, rushing for over 150 yards behind a stout Texans offensive line. The Texans used the threat of the pass in order to be able to establish Mixon and were able to control the clock through his solid rushing attempts.
The Texans faced a tough task against Colts QB Anthony Richardson, a tough player to defend and scheme against. However, they were able to get the win and this week should be a lot easier for them.
They are going against the rookie quarterback who doesn’t have the physical tools that Richardson does, especially Richardson’s ability to run the ball. Facing Caleb Williams, they will play more traditional defense and look to confuse him the way the Titans did. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans is a defensive expert and I expect another tough week for Williams, who will go against another top-notch defensive coordinator.
Key Matchups
1. Caleb Williams Will Need to Set Protections Properly
Caleb Williams will eventually learn about the intricacies of facing NFL defenses and hopefully, he will have plenty of opportunity to improve this weekend.
Williams did not set the protections properly, which often led to a free blitzer when the Titans were only bringing five players on the pass rush on defense. Being able to get pressure while having a majority of their players back in defensive coverage made it tough for Williams.
If Williams can set these protections properly, he will be able to find time to get the ball to his core of outstanding receivers. Williams needs to do better identifying the blitz pre-snap at the line of scrimmage in order to make an improvement this week.
2. Texans Offensive Line
If the Texans’ offensive line is able to provide protection for QB CJ Stroud like they did last week and provide nice holes for RB Joe Mixon to rush through, their offense should put up plenty of points.
The Bears looked good on defense last weekend and were able to pressure Titans QB Will Levis quite often. If the Bears are able to get pressure, they can make this a low-scoring game and keep it close. If the Texans’ offensive line does their job, Houston has the potential for a runaway blowout victory.
The Pick
While Caleb Williams shows immense potential, he still has a lot to learn when it comes to playing quarterback in the NFL. Although he is capable of highlight plays, he’s going to need to be able to sit in the pocket and pick apart defensive schemes, and he is not yet processing quickly enough to do that. While I do believe that Williams will be able to do that by the end of the year, this is a lot to ask in his second start as an NFL player.
Although the Texans didn’t cover, they showed that they are true contenders in the AFC with their balanced offensive attack and strong defense. Williams will provide more of a traditional QB to defend and they will not have to face the unicorn that is Colts QB Anthony Richardson this week.
I expected the Texans to bounce back with a strong win at home after a close game on the road against Indy. This is a tough way for Caleb Williams to start his career and hopefully, he will learn a lot from this experience. But while Caleb is learning, we will take advantage and make some money by betting the Texans -7 at -110 NFL odds.
NFL Pick: Houston Texans – 7 (-110) at Bet365
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