Chicago Bears at Houston Texans Preview & Picks
Houston are tipped to win under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football.
Chicago upgraded massively on offense in the offseason, but that unit struggled in the season-opener and will need more time to gel.
That is not the case for a Texans team who appear to have only gotten stronger since 2023.
- Houston Texans were 7-3 at home last season
- Chicago Bears went 2-6 on the road in 2023
- Chicago Bears were 1-3-1 ATS in non-conference games last season
- The two teams allowed a combined 43.4 points per game in 2023
Head To Head
- Houston Texans lead the all-time series 4-2
- Chicago Bears won 23-20 when the two teams last met in September 2022
Chicago Bears Form
Chicago entered the 2024 season looking to challenge for the NFC North title and a place in the postseason.
The Bears suffered several late-game collapses that forced them to settle for a 7-10 record in 2023, but it was a sizeable improvement on the year before.
Offense remained a problem though, and, as a result, they have made massive changes with Caleb Williams, Keenan Allen, D’Andre Swift, Rome Odunze and Gerald Everett all joining the team.
With DJ Moore and Cole Kmet already in the fold, Chicago are the most loaded they have been on offense for a long time, and this defense could be a top-10 unit in 2024.
The Bears came into the campaign on the back of a strong preseason, having won all four of their games, and they kept that win streak going in the regular season opener.
They dug themselves into a first-half hole against Tennessee, but came storming back to snatch a 24-17 victory.
Houston Texans Form
Houston came into the 2024 campaign looking to build on an impressive 2023 season that saw them go from after-thoughts to potential contenders.
The Texans shone as rookie quarterback CJ Stroud grabbed the headlines, and they ended the regular season with a 10-7 record.
That earned them the AFC East title and a trip to the playoffs, where they blew out Cleveland at home in the Wildcard round, 45-14.
Houston came unstuck in the Divisional round however, as they travelled to Baltimore where they were beaten by the Ravens, 34-10.
The Texans responded by strengthening in the offseason, bringing in the likes of Stefon Diggs, Joe Mixon and Danielle Hunter, and they put together a 3-1 record in preseason action.
They then kicked off the regular season with a big road win over division rivals Indianapolis, taking it 29-27.