No two NFL teams improved more in the 2024 offseason than the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans. Both teams went on spending sprees to bring in a number of big-name free agents in addition to impressing in the 2024 NFL Draft. With revamped rosters, the Bears and Texans are both looked at as potential breakout teams, and now, they are going to clash early in the new season.
Chicago is set to head to Houston for the second Sunday Night Football game of the season. Both teams are 1-0 and looking to extend their early-season wins into winning streaks. In this article, we will explain how you can watch their game.
When and where is the Bears vs. Texans game?
Week 2 of Sunday Night Football is at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 15. The Texans will be hosting the game at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The game is one of the most highly anticipated in the young 2024 season.
How to watch Sunday Night Football
The Bears vs. Texans game will be on NBC. That means you can also stream the game with Peacock, NFL+, or fuboTV. Mike Tirico will call the play-by-play for the game, while Cris Collinsworth will provide color to the broadcast. Melissa Stark is set to be the sideline reporter.
Date: Sunday, Sept. 15 | Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: NRG Stadium — Houston, Texas
TV channel: NBC | Live stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)
Odds: Texans -6.5 | O/U 45.5
Bears storylines
Chicago's roster construction started with Caleb Williams. The Bears made the USC product the number one overall pick, and they expect great things from their young quarterback. The signal-caller was viewed as one of the greatest prospects in recent memory, so the assumption was he'd be great right away.
That wasn't necessarily the case in Week 1, though. Despite having an elite receiving corps that includes DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen, Gerald Everett, and Cole Kmet, the Bears were only able to rack up 93 yards through the air. Williams struggled to complete passes as the Tennessee Titans pass-rushing attack affected him drastically.
Rookie struggles are to be expected, though, no matter how highly thought of Williams was as a prospect. Luckily, the team's defense was able to carry the burden. The Bears' defense was able to orchestrate a come-from-behind win by forcing three turnovers.
The defensive masterclass proves that Chicago has a well-balanced squad, which is important if they truly plan on making noise this season. Williams and the offense will likely bounce back, and even through the struggles of Week 1, the rookie quarterback still became first number one pick at his position to win a Week 1 debut since David Carr in 2002.
Rookie quarterbacks have rarely thrived so early in their young careers. For example, NFL legend John Elway was benched in his first game after completing one of his eight passing attempts. Even C.J. Stroud, who had one of the best rookie seasons ever last year, had his fair share of struggles in his first game.
Texans storylines
Speaking of Stroud, he will be the man under center for the Texans in this game. Last season, he became one of three quarterbacks to lead the league in passing yards per game and touchdown-interception ratio, joining Tom Brady and Joe Montana in that elite category.
Stroud and his Texans burst onto the scene and shocked the football world last year, and now they are viewed as legitimate title contenders. The quarterback should take a year-two leap, as evidenced by his two-touchdown performance in Week 1, and the Texans have an even deeper roster than they did last year.
While the Bears did bring in a number of pass-catching threats, we ranked the Texans as one of two teams with a better receiving corps than them. Stefon Diggs was brought in to form an elite trio with Tank Dell and Nico Collins. Joe Mixon was even given a huge contract to give Stroud another weapon out of the backfield. Mixon actually had more rushing yards (159) in Week 1 than any other running back.
Additionally, the Texans made Danielle Hunter one of the highest-paid defensive players in the league when they signed him in the offseason. Hunter will rush the passer on the opposite side of reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, Will Anderson. The influx of talent not only makes the Texans an exciting team for the long haul but a team that can give the Kansas City Chiefs a run for their money this year.
The Chiefs and their quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, have won back-to-back Super Bowls, and no one has been able to slow them down. Caleb Williams has often been compared to Mahomes, so perhaps the Texans can get a little practice in for their ultimate goal of surpassing the defending champions.
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