The Chicago Bears squared off against the Houston Texans for Sunday Night Football on NBC. For the second straight game, the Bears didn't have a receiving touchdown, and wide receiver D.J. Moore didn't hold anything back on the balance of the team.
“The defense is connected… They go out there and get three-and-outs, and we struggle to keep the ball moving,” Moore said via Marquee Bears.
Moore makes a valid point. No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams hasn't had a fairly successful couple of weeks in the NFL. He only passed for 93 yards in the Week 1 win over the Tennessee Titans. On Sunday, he threw a respectable 174 yards but had two interceptions. The former Carolina Panthers receiver was the lead pass-catcher for both weeks for the Bears.
Still, the defense can't carry every week, especially when they play a high-flying offense like the Texans. As a whole, the Bears had five pass deflections and three sacks on Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. They even won in the possession game, with Houston having roughly three fewer minutes than Chicago. The old saying that defense wins championships is true but it's extremely hard when the offense isn't producing points.
Can D.J. Moore and the Bears escape the offense slump?
The Bears can escape, but it might take longer than expected. Although Williams was an outstanding quarterback and Heisman winner in college, the NFL is a different animal. The athletes are stronger, and more physical and the teams are smarter. Also, they are without one of their top receivers, Keenan Allen. The Bears leaned on Allen for his experience with rookie quarterbacks and younger players as a whole.
Williams improved with passing the ball, albeit with check-downs. He has some of the mental hurdles figured out. The confidence and swagger are there, now it's about putting the ball in the right spot. Chicago played one of the best defensive fronts in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans, and Week 2 was no different. Williams was sacked seven times and was consistently under pressure.
Although the ball struggled to find Moore and other pass-catchers, his quarterback will need more time to throw the ball. The injuries don't help the Bears' case either. Regardless, the quarterback play will improve over time and Moore will be able to feast once again.
Chicago has an easier matchup for Week 3, as they take on another AFC South opponent, the Indianapolis Colts. The Bears have a chance to extend the Colts' losing streak to three games while establishing a well-rounded passing attack.
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