Week 2 is already upon us as the Houston Texans host the Chicago Bears for Sunday Night Football! It is time to continue our NFL odds series with a Bears-Texans prediction and pick.
The Bears (1-0) are coming off a crazy opening week that saw them come out victorious against the Tennessee Titans, however, not after a huge scare in the first half. The Titans stormed out to a quick 17-0 lead and then the Bears scored 24 unanswered and shockingly not from their offense. The Bears' offense did not score a touchdown but did get in the endzone for a two-point conversation. The Bears' defense and special teams stepped up with a blocked punt for a touchdown, scored by Gold Medalist Simone Biles's husband Jonathan Owens. Then, Tyrique Stevenson intercepted Will Levis for six which ultimately won the game for the Bears. Chicago is now 1-0 and aiming to upset a good Texans team on the road.
Houston is 1-0 after taking town division rival Indianapolis Colts 29-27. Newcomers Joe Mixon and Stefon Diggs played very well in their debuts for the Texans and if the defense was able to avoid giving up a few big plays, they could have beaten the Colts by more than just two points. There is a lot to like about this team as they aim to improve even more in CJ Stroud's second year. They now return to Houston for their home opener with hopes of going 2-0 for the first time since 2016.
Here are the NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Bears-Texans Odds
Chicago Bears: +6.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +240
Houston Texans: -6.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -295
Over: 45.5 (-115)
Under: 45.5 (-105)
How to Watch Bears vs. Texans
Time: 8:20 ET/5:20 PT
TV: NBC/Peacock
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why The Bears Could Cover The Spread/Win
It's pretty evident that the Bears are not going to win back-to-back games without finding the endzone. The offense needs to figure it out. Caleb Williams now has those first-game jitters out of the way and with the supporting cast around him, there is no reason why he can't get the film rolling this week.
A big issue this week is health. Receivers Rome Odunze and Keenan Allen are banged up and are questionable against the Texans. DJ Moore will be the only healthy starter playing on Sunday night. It's expected that both Odunze and Allen play, especially with the game being on primetime. Williams must connect with his stars and complete north of 60% of his passes if they want a chance to cover this spread and potentially upset the Texans.
D'Andre Swift had 10 carries for just 30 yards in his Bears' debut. The Titans have a great defensive line which never allowed Swift to get going. Well, the Texans have a defensive line that is just as good and an even better defense as a whole. Between Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. causing problems, the Texans have a lot they can throw at you defensively. It's going to take a strong game from Swift and the offense as a whole to get in the endzone multiple times, allowing them to remain in the game.
Why The Texans Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Texans will be one of the top teams in the AFC this season. As favorites to win the AFC South, Houston has a young star at QB and a strong defense capable of shutting down any offense. Houston is coming off a playoff win over the Cleveland Browns last year and they almost defeated the No. 1 seed Baltimore Ravens in the second round. Stroud is ready to make another leap and head coach DeMeco Ryans is the perfect man for that job. Hosting Sunday Night Football for the home opener is going to have NRG Stadium rocking and that may be a big advantage facing a rookie QB.
The Texans will likely pound the rock again, giving Mixon 20+ carries again. Dameon Peirce is banged up and questionable, so Mixon seems to be the one guy they trust with the ball in his hands. Nico Collins is also questionable, so the run game seems to be one the Texans will rely on the most. If they are successful, that means they will control the time of possession, keeping the Bears' offense on the sidelines.
Final Bears-Texans Prediction & Pick
This is a great game to have on primetime. Fans are interested to see how these two squads look after crazy offseasons. I don't think there will be many big plays, resulting in a lower-scoring contest. Both sides have defenses worthy of disrupting games, and I think the under at 45.5 is the best call on the board. The Texans are capable of winning by a score, which means we will be taking them to cover as well.
Final Bears-Texans Prediction & Pick: Texans -6.5 (-110), Under 45.5 (-105)
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