Everything to know heading into Bears’ Week 3 game vs. Texans

The Chicago Bears (1-1) will square off against the Houston Texans (0-1-1) on Sunday, where Chicago will be looking to get back in the win column.

The Bears are coming off a brutal loss to the Green Bay Packers (1-1), which raised plenty of questions about their passing game and run defense. Meanwhile, the Texans were outscored 10-0 in the fourth quarter of their loss to the Denver Broncos (1-1).

Here’s a rundown of what we know heading into Sunday’s game against the Texans:

How to watch

Game information:

Who: Chicago Bears (1-1) vs. Houston Texans (0-1-1)

When: Sunday, Sept. 25, Noon CT

Where: Soldier Field – Chicago, IL

Streaming:

In-market live stream: fuboTV (try it for free).

Broadcast:

TV: CBS

Radio: WBBM 780 (Chicago)

Betting odds

The Bears are considered 2.5-point home favorites against the Texans, according to Tipico Sportsbook. The over/under is 39.5.

Game-day roster

Here’s a look at the Bears’ game-day roster:

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Game picks

• Alyssa Barbieri: 20-13 Bears

• Brendan Sugrue: 27-14 Bears

• Ryan Fedrau: 17-14 Texans

• Jarrett Bailey: 21-13 Bears

Read our full analysis

Bold predictions

Steph Chambers/Getty Images

1. Justin Fields attempts at least 28 passes

2. David Montgomery scores his first TD of the season

3. Darnell Mooney catches at least 5 passes

4. Kyler Gordon gets his first interception

5. The Bears score a D/ST touchdown

Read our full analysis

Behind Enemy Lines

We spoke Mark Lane from Texans Wire to go deep into Sunday’s matchup to get to know the competition a little better.

• Just how good (or bad) is this Houston squad?

• What’s the evaluation of Davis Mills so far?

• Does the Texans run game pose a concern?

• Can the Bears open up the vertical passing game against this Houston secondary?

• Who are some under-the-radar Texans to watch?

• Who wins?

Read our full analysis

Last meeting: 36-7 Bears (Dec. 13, 2020)

Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

The Bears and Texans have only played each other five times dating back to 2004, where Houston holds a 4-1 edge in the series. But these two teams last met in 2020, where Chicago dominated in a 36-7 victory at Soldier Field.

Team rankings

AP Photo/Aaron Gash

via Team Rankings

Texans players to watch

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

QB Davis Mills: Mills is pretty much known for being the forgotten member of the 2021 NFL Draft quarterback class. Mills was selected by the Texans in the third round out of Stanford. He started the majority of the games for the Texans in 2021 after starter Tyrod Taylor went down with an injury and finished the year with a respectable stat line of 2,664 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Mills has had his moments, both good and bad, during his sophomore season as the Texans look to see if he can be a viable quarterback for the longhaul. The Texans will likely be focusing on their ground game this weekend, but Mills will look to upstage Justin Fields on his home turf when he gets the chances to pass.

RB Dameon Pierce: The fantasy football darling of the preseason, Dameon Pierce hasn’t yet had the strong season many pundits were predicting back in August. Pierce was drafted by the Texans in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Florida and was on the fast track towards becoming a strong option out of the backfield. The start has been slow for the rookie, but he’s picking up steam after Week 2. Pierce had 15 carries for 69 yards, improving on his performance the week prior. Facing a struggling Bears run defense, Pierce could be in for a huge day. He’s someone the Bears must focus on stopping to control the time of possession, as well as win the game.

WR Brandin Cooks: One of the more underrated receivers in the NFL, Brandin Cooks is the unquestioned top pass catcher in Houston. Cooks has spent nearly a decade in the league and is almost guaranteed to post 1,000 yards and 5-6 touchdowns each season. The Texans will most likely try and target Bears rookie cornerback Kyler Gordon in the passing game, like Green Bay did last weekend. Expect Cooks to be the primary receiver to line up against him and though he’s not elite, he’s capable of having a big game if things break right for Houston.

DEs Jonathan Greenard and Jerry Hughes: The Texans haven’t been the best when it comes to getting after the quarterback over the last year or so, but that could change with young defensive end Jonathan Greenard and veteran Jerry Hughes. Greenard is a popular candidate to breakout for Houston at 25 years old and he’s had a solid start to the season. He has five total tackles, including three for a loss, and one sack. Hughes, meanwhile, has spent over 12 years in the league and came over from Buffalo this offseason. He’s made a great first impression, posting two sacks and an interception in Week One. Both players will be tasked with getting after Fields and giving the Bears young tackles plenty of fits.

CB Derek Stingley Jr.: Like the Bears, the Texans focused on revamping their secondary early in the 2022 NFL Draft. Their top selection was star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. out of LSU and he’s going through a similar learning curve like the Bears top pick, Gordon. Stingley was picked on by Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton last week, who had seven catches for 122 yards. Stingley has been busy through two weeks, registering 15 total tackles and three pass deflections. Should the Bears open up their passing attack this week, Stingley will likely be targeted early and often.

— Brendan Sugrue

Injuries to know

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Bears: LB Roquan Smith (questionable, hip); CB Jaylon Johnson (questionable, quad); LB Matt Adams (out, hamstring); WR Velus Jones Jr. (doubtful, hamstring); TE Ryan Griffin (out, Achilles); S Dane Cruikshank (out, hamstring)

Texans: TE Brevin Jordan (out, ankle), OT Austin Deculus (out, ankle); CB Isaac Yiadom (out, thigh); TE Pharaoh Brown (questionable, shoulder); DT Kurt Hinish (questionable, foot); DT Maliek Collins (questionable, knee)

Matchups to watch

Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

• Justin Fields vs. Davis Mills

• Bears Run Offense vs. Texans Run Defense

• Matt Eberflus vs. Lovie Smith

Read our full analysis

Storyline to watch: Arrival of the Bears passing offense?

Michael Reaves/Getty Images

The Texans defense is passer-friendly, and Justin Fields should have more than 11 attempts this week. The Texans have allowed the 12th most completions in the NFL and are giving up 3.6 yards of separation to wide receivers (the NFL average is about 3 yards). As a result, teams playing Houston have opportunities to throw the ball underneath early and often.

Chicago should take advantage of the Texans’ defensive approach and not continue to be one-dimensional and overreliant on the run game. Although two rookies (Jalen Pitre and Derek Stingley Jr.) lead the Texans in the secondary, just like the Bears, new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy should find ways to take advantage of the young defenders and help fix the passing woes. — Nate Atkins

Story originally appeared on Bears Wire