The future of the NFL will be on display Sunday night as the Chicago Bears travel to Houston to take on the Texans. Each team won its first game of the season and will look to pick up a statement victory in Week 2.
Chicago drafted Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. While he had his first career start last week against the Titans, this will be his first road test.
Meanwhile, Houston’s C.J. Stroud was drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and won the AP’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award last season.
Expectations are high for both players and for both teams in this meeting of non-conference opponents.
With the Bears in the NFC North and the Texans in the AFC South, these franchises rarely match up. This iteration of the Houston NFL franchise began in 2002, and since then, these teams have only played six times, with Houston leading the all-time series, 4-2.
The Texans and Bears most recently matched up in September 2022. Chicago won that game, 23-20, thanks to two rushing touchdowns from Khalil Herbert and three field goals from Cairo Santos.
MORE: Worst overreactions from NFL Week 1: Caleb Williams is overrated
Bears vs. Texas score
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
Bears | 3 | 7 | |||
Texans | 3 | 13 |
Bears vs. Texans updates, highlights from ‘Sunday Night Football’
Updates will begin about two hours prior to kickoff. All times ET
Halftime: Texans 16, Bears 10
9:55 p.m. — Chicago brings out the kickoff, but the returned is quickly tackled. We head to halftime.
Texans 16, Bears 10
9:52 p.m. — Fairbairn NAILS the 59-yard field goal for Houston. Barring a kick return for a touchdown, this game is going to halftime 16-10 with Houston up.
Fairbairn from 59 yards!
📺: #CHIvsHOU on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/DnIkffzUow— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2024
9:52 p.m. — Houston was whistled for a false start. They don’t have any timeouts. With six seconds left, Stroud throws it away, and Fairbairn will attempt a field goal.
9:48 p.m. — Collins brought in an incredible one-handed catch. It was called a completion on the field and reviewed. The play stood and now the Texans have no timeouts and are on the Chicago 36.
C.J. Stroud finds Nico Collins for a RIDICULOUS catch 😱
📺: #CHIvsHOU on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/juzYKPSJfP— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2024
9:46 p.m. — Houston looks like they will try to at least get in field goal range before halftime. The Texans gained 13 yards as Stroud connected with Dare Ogunbowale. He missed Tank Dell as he sailed the pass out of bounds.
Texans 13, Bears 10
9:44 p.m. — BEARS TOUCHDOWN! Williams and Herbert run an option with the running back taking it in for a two yard score. Santos hits the extra point.
Khalil Herbert gets the @ChicagoBears on the board!
📺: #CHIvsHOU on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/p7n9uXrGYy— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2024
9:40 p.m. — The Bears get another false start penalty. William, with the running back taking it in for a two-yards scrambles for a nine-yard game to get down to the two. Williams missed the rookie Odunze in the endzone and it is third down.
9:38 p.m. — Williams goes for Moore near the goal line, but the receiver is fouled by a defender and called for defensive pass interference. Chicago is in the redzone for the first time in the game.
9:35 p.m. — Feels like Chicago is going a little conservative. The Bears lost a yard on a Gerald Everett reception but then got two back on a pass to Herbert. Chicago shot itself in the foot with a false start and is now looking at third and 14.
9:33 p.m. — Williams hit Swift for a seven-yard gain and then connected with Moore for 16 more. That takes us to the two-minute warning as Chicago has first and 10 on the Texans’ 26-yard-line.
9:30 p.m. — Mixon lost two yards on first down but then picked up eight off a screen pass from Stroud. The Houston quarterback was sacked on third down, so we will see the Texans’ punter for the first time tonight. Less than four minutes left in the first half.
9:22 p.m. — A false start after the time out pushed it to third and nine. Williams scrambled in the backfield, trying to evade the Houston pass rush. He was successful, missing three tacklers, but was eventually brought down for a sack. Bears have to punt.
Another 3rd down sack for the @HoustonTexans!
📺: #CHIvsHOU on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/zqPcmLYhKP— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2024
9:20 p.m. — Chicago picks up the first down thanks to a one-yard run by Khalil Herbert. Williams hit Carter for a six-yard gain but then missed Swift. Chicago took a timeout to avoid a delay of game.
9:18 p.m. — Swift is still struggling to run the ball consistently. He breaks off a seven-yard run on the first down, the longest of the night so far. He then picked up two yards on second down. Williams tried to sneak it to pick up a first down but was unsuccessful. Fourth down upcoming.
Texans 13, Bears 3
9:15 p.m. — Fairbairn is back on for the Texans, and he hits a 47-yard field goal to go with his 56-yarder from earlier.
9:11 p.m. — Diggs gets his second reception for the night and dives for a first down while going out of bounds. He was ruled two yards short, but Houston challenged the spot. The play stood, but they moved the ball closer to the marker. Technically, the challenge was for a first down, so Houston still lost its timeout.
9:10 p.m. — Stroud was chased out of the pocket and ran to his right toward the sideline. He throws an absolute dart to Collins for an 18-yard pick-up.
9:04 p.m. — Stefon Diggs gets his first target of the game, and he makes it count with a 21-yard gain. Chicago challenged the completion, but this one wasn’t close, and the call was upheld.
Stroud. Diggs. 21 yards.
📺: #CHIvsHOU on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/7sMpzVeeYG— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2024
9:02 p.m. — The refs have changed Collins’ penalty from unsportsmanlike conduct to unnecessary roughness. This is an important distinction because he would have been ejected if he had gotten another unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
9:00 p.m. — Williams completed a pass to DJ Moore, but it was for no gain. This was followed by a six-yard gain by Rome Odunze. Williams had an incompletion on third down, and the Bears were forced to punt.
Texans 10, Bears 3
8:54 p.m. — TEXANS TOUCHDOWN! Stroud connects with Collins for a 28-yard touchdown. There was a flag on the play, but it was on the defense and declined. Fairbairn hits the extra point.
Nico Collins caught the pass and was not going to be denied six points 💪
📺: #CHIvsHOU on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/QGAC5Kr52w— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2024
End of first quarter: Bears 3, Texans 3
8:51 p.m. — The final play of the first quarter was a short run by Mixon. Collins picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty downfield, though, so the quarter ended with Houston losing 15 yards.
8:49 p.m. — Houston faced 4th and 1, but decided to go for it. Stroud hit Cade Stover for an 18-yard gain, and now the Texans are on Chicago’s 32.
It was 4th and 1.
The @HoustonTexans got 18.
📺: #CHIvsHOU on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/1XMQDMyoet— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2024
8:47 p.m. — Chicago defensive lineman Montez Sweat gets his paw on a pass from Stroud, knocking it high in the air. None of the players could locate it, though, and it fell harmlessly to the turf for an incompletion.
8:45 p.m. — Stroud starts the Texans’ second drive off well with an 18 yard completion to Nico Collins.
Bears 3, Texans 3
8:40 p.m. — The Bears had third down and nine knocking on the door of the redzone. Williams was sacked, leading to a Cairo Santos 53-yard field goal attempt. He barely made it as the ball doinked the camera sitting on the crossbar.
The @ChicagoBears tie it up with a bounce 😅
📺: #CHIvsHOU on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/Fyoj89HGEr— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2024
8:36 p.m. — Chicago is moving down the field with Williams completing 12 and 14-yard passes to DeAndre Carter, who is filling in for the injured Keenan Allen. Running back D’Andre Swift is struggling early with -4 yards on his first two carries.
Caleb Williams 🎯 DeAndre Carter for the first down.
📺: #CHIvsHOU on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/W0BGTN8yvN— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2024
8:34 p.m. — Williams completes his first pass of the game. It was a short two-yard gain to tight end Gerald Everett.
Texans 3, Bears 0
8:29 p.m. — Ka’imi Fairbairn lined up for a 56-yard field goal attempt and absolutely middled it. Texans get on the board first.
56-yard FG with room to spare!
The @HoustonTexans take the early lead.
📺: #CHIvsHOU on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/CVKnSzuNFt— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2024
8:26 p.m. — Stroud finds Joe Mixon on an eight-yard gain and Houston gets its first first down of the game. Tight end Brevin Jordan had a four-yard gain the play before.
8:24 p.m. — Texans go play action on the first play of the game, but CJ Stroud’s pass goes off a defender’s hand and is nearly intercepted before falling to the turf.
8:22 p.m. — We are a little delayed, but kickoff is here. Chicago has won the toss and deferred, so Houston will start with the ball.
Pregame
8:00 p.m. — I Initially thought the Bears were wearing all orange tonight, but it is an orange jersey/white pants combo. The Texans are in white jerseys and white pants. Kickoff should be coming in 15 minutes.
.@JaquanBrisker handshakes never disappoint 🤝 pic.twitter.com/ZHG9lhu48y
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 15, 2024
7:50 p.m. — If Chicago wins, they will be tied atop the NFC North with the 2-0 Minnesota Vikings. Regardless of whether Houston wins or loses, the Texans will remain first in the AFC South ahead of the 0-2 Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts.
7:35 p.m. — Houston fans get to enjoy their team in primetime. This will be the first time the Texans will play on ‘Sunday Night Football’ in the regular season since 2019.
7:15 p.m. — The roof at NRG Stadium will start open. There is only an 8% chance of rain, so this game will likely stay dry. There is a real feel of 94, but the players likely won’t feel the brunt of that by the time kickoff comes around.
Roof is open tonight NRG Stadium. pic.twitter.com/pjhne9QZJi
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) September 15, 2024
6:50 p.m. — Inactives have been announced for both teams. The big news here is that veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen is OUT for Chicago, while rookie Rome Odunze is ACTIVE.
Inactives for #CHIvsHOU: pic.twitter.com/maPySR2uSa
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 15, 2024
Our inactives for #CHIvsHOU ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ru2OMQiH3i
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 15, 2024
6:40 p.m. — For those betting on the game, the Texans are six point favorites at Caesars Sportsbook. Houston is installed at -285 on the moneyline, while Chicago is +228. The point total is set at 45.
6:25 p.m. — The home Texans will be rocking their all white jerseys, while Chicago counters in their iconic orange threads.
All set for #SNF 🤩 pic.twitter.com/Eee8F7nry5
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 15, 2024
6:10 p.m. — Kickoff for the game is still about two hours away, but players have arrived. With the game at NRG Stadium, there is no concern over the weather, which the teams will likely be thankful for as it is currently 94 degrees in Houston.
Known in my city 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9um2y5iRiw
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 15, 2024
MORE: Updated fantasy football rankings: Who to start, sit for Week 2
What channel is Bears vs. Texans on today?
The Bears vs. Texans game will air on NBC as part of the channel’s weekly “Sunday Night Football” series.
Mike Tirico will be the play-by-play analyst, and former NFL wide receiver Cris Collinsworth will serve as the color commentator. The duo will be joined by sideline reporter Melissa Stark and rules analyst Terry McAulay, who will help provide context when penalties are called or players are reviewed.
Fans can stream the game via Peacock or Fubo, which offers a free trial.
Bears vs. Texans start time
- Date: Sunday, September 15
- Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET
The Bears’ and Texans’ game on Sunday will kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET (7:20 p.m. CT local time) at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Bears 2024 schedule
While Caleb Williams held the spotlight ahead of his NFL debut, the defense and special teams units shined the brightest in the Bears’ 24-17 win over the Titans. Chicago allowed 14 points in the first half of its Week 1 game but pitched a shutout in the second half.
The Bears blocked a punt and Jonathan Owens returned it 21 yards for a touchdown. Tyrique Stevenson had a 43-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Week | Opponent (Result) | Date, time (ET) |
1 | vs. Tennessee Titans (W, 24-17) | — |
2 | @ Houston Texans | Sept. 15, 8:20 p.m. |
3 | @ Indianapolis Colts | Sept. 22, 1 p.m. |
4 | vs. Los Angeles Rams | Sept. 29, 1 p.m. |
5 | vs. Carolina Panthers | Oct. 6, 1 p.m. |
6 | vs. Jacksonville Jaguars | Oct. 13, 9:30 a.m. |
7 | BYE WEEK | BYE WEEK |
8 | @ Washington Commanders | Oct.27, 1 p.m. |
9 | @ Arizona Cardinals | Nov. 3, 4:05 p.m. |
10 | vs. New England Patriots | Nov. 10, 1 p.m. |
11 | vs. Green Bay Packers | Nov. 17, 1 p.m. |
12 | vs. Minnesota Vikings | Nov. 24, 1 p.m. |
13 | @ Detroit Lions | Nov. 28, 12:30 p.m. |
14 | @ San Francisco 49ers | Dec. 8, 4:25 p.m. |
15 | @ Minnesota Vikings | Dec. 16, 8 p.m. |
16 | vs. Detroit Lions | Dec. 22, 1 p.m. |
17 | vs. Seattle Seahawks | Dec. 26, 8:15 p.m. |
18 | @ Green Bay Packers | Jan 5, TBD |
Texans 2024 schedule
The Texans opened their season with a divisional matchup against the Colts. The game offered the first regular-season at wide receiver Stefon Diggs in a Texans uniform, and he didn’t disappoint. Diggs finished with 33 yards and two scores on six receptions.
Week | Opponent (Result) | Date, Time (ET) |
1 | vs. Indianapolis Colts (W, 29-27) | — |
2 | vs. Chicago Bears | Sept. 15, 8:20 p.m. |
3 | @ Minnesota Vikings | Sept. 22, 1 p.m. |
4 | vs. Jacksonville Jaguars | Sept. 29, 1 p.m. |
5 | vs. Buffalo Bills | Oct. 6, 1 p.m. |
6 | @ New England Patriots | Oct. 13, 1 p.m. |
7 | @ Green Bay Packers | Oct. 20, 1 p.m. |
8 | vs. Indianapolis Colts | Oct. 27, 1 p.m. |
9 | @ New York Jets | Oct. 31, 8:15 p.m. |
10 | vs. Detroit Lions | Nov. 10, 8:20 p.m. |
11 | @ Dallas Cowboys | Nov. 18, 8:15 p.m. |
12 | vs. Tennessee Titans | Nov. 24, 1 p.m. |
13 | @ Jacksonville Jaguars | Dec. 1, 1 p.m. |
14 | BYE WEEK | BYE WEEK |
15 | vs. Miami Dolphins | Dec. 15, 1 p.m. |
16 | @ Kansas City Chiefs | Dec. 21, 1 p.m. |
17 | vs. Baltimore Ravens | Dec. 25, 4:30 p.m. |
18 | @ Tennessee Titans | Jan. 5, TBD |