5 bold predictions for Bears vs. Texans

A clash of two teams (technically) at the top of their respective conferences is set to take place on Sunday Night Football when the Chicago Bears travel south to take on the Houston Texans in Week 2. It's set to be a battle between young quarterbacks CJ Stroud and Caleb Williams, both of whom are surrounded by talented skill position players, as well as a dynamic defense filled with playmakers who can shut down opposing offensive attacks.

While the matchup isn't nearly as prolific as the last time these two teams met on Sunday Night Football in 2012, this is still a big opportunity for both the Bears and the Texans to keep an undefeated season alive early on. It's also a good measuring stick to see how Chicago matches up against upper-echelon teams like Houston.

Bears fans will wait all day for Sunday night, and surely that means some big moments. Here are our bold predictions for the prime time tilt.

1. Caleb Williams throws and rushes for a score

Week 1 wasn't the best debut for Williams. In fact, it was dreadful for the most part for a variety of reasons. The No. 1 overall pick wasn't able to eclipse tripe-digit passing totals and didn't produce an offensive touchdown of any kind. He knows where he needs to improve, though, and given the attention his play has gotten this week, we're going to see a different quarterback on Sunday night.

I still think it's difficult to project that Williams will light the world on fire in just his second game. Rookies take time to find their footing, especially when everyone else is learning a new offense along with him. The Texans have a formidable defense, and the Bears could be missing key starters at the receiver position.

Still, this will be a game where Williams plays more in control and manages to throw and rush for a score. He will lead sustained drives while slowing down a little bit when it comes to his pocket presence. We could see a similar output like what Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson had last week against Houston, where he threw for 212 yards and rushed for 56, only with a bit more consistency. Williams and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron will have things in better shape, even if it's still not perfected yet.

2. Tyler Scott scores first career touchdown

Fans were quite surprised last week when the Bears announced wide receiver Tyler Scott would be a healthy scratch for their Week 1 matchup against the Tennessee Titans. The second-year receiver had a solid camp but fell victim to a numbers game and wound up dressing in street clothes for the first time in his career. Thanks to injuries to Rome Odunze and Keenan Allen, though, there's a high likelihood Scott is active once again this weekend. He's going to take full advantage of that opportunity, something head coach Matt Eberflus stressed to him this week.

Even if Odunze and Allen both wind up playing, Scott should still see plenty of snaps on offense. He's the team's next best option at the position, and he gives Williams a solid, deep threat to work with. The Bears quarterback isn't shy when it comes to taking shots downfield, and Scott will be one of the recipients. It's worth noting that the Texans were susceptible to the deep pass last week against the Colts on multiple occasions. Scott's going to be so involved that he will get the first score of his career, cementing a wild week for him. It's finally his time to shine.

3. Cole Kmet sees 10+ targets

There can be some drastic overcorrections from Week 1 to Week 2 in the NFL. Take last year's Bears team, for example. No. 1 receiver DJ Moore was targeted just twice in Week 1 while the offense struggled, then was peppered in Week 2, where he went off for over 100 receiving yards. Though this year's team has a new offensive coordinator, the squeaky wheel still gets the grease. That wheel's name is Cole Kmet.

The Bears tight end was an afterthought last week, playing just 27 snaps and catching one pass on one target. Aside from injuries he dealt with last year, this was his lowest usage since Week 7 of his rookie season. His lack of involvement has been a hot topic at Halas Hall, and given the injuries at receiver, as well as fullback Khari Blasingame being ruled out, Kmet stands to have a much bigger workload. In fact, Williams and Waldron will get him involved early and often out of necessity. Kmet may not have 100 receiving yards and multiple touchdowns, but he will get plenty of looks. He'll be Williams' go-to guy and get double-digit targets. We'll see what he can do with them.

4. Tank Dell goes for 100+ receiving yards

The Texans and the Bears are two teams that can make a compelling argument that they have the best wide receiver trio in the league. Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, and Tank Dell are three players who can be counted on at any moment for a key first down or a big score. Collins has solidified himself as a top option for Stroud, while Diggs is building chemistry with his new quarterback.

That leaves Dell, who was a big-play machine last season as a rookie before he wound up on injured reserve. Dell has the ability to take the top off the defense and was counted on plenty last season before he got hurt. He only managed 40 yards on three catches in Week 1, but he's a monster when playing in Houston, averaging eight more yards and nearly double the number of touchdowns per game vs. when he's on the road.

Dell will be a tough matchup for cornerback Kyler Gordon, and don't be surprised to see him explode for some big gains while blazing past every defender. The second-year receiver gets his first 100-yard receiving game of the year against a talented secondary.

5. The Bears D/STs get another score

Stroud and the Texans offense do a nice job of protecting the football. They had just three games last season with multiple turnovers, including the postseason. They play smart and sound football, but sometimes it doesn't matter when you're facing an elite defense with stars at every level.

I don't know how it will happen, but considering the Bears were able to get a punt return touchdown and a pick-six, it seems this unit has a nose for the football. They're playing with such high confidence that they can play against anybody right now. Perhaps DeAndre Carter builds on his success and gets a return touchdown against a disciplined Texans special teams unit. Or Stroud will fumble with the Bears defensive front crashing down on him, and a scoop and score will occur. I'm not bold enough to say how, but I feel confident another score is coming.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 bold predictions for Bears vs. Texans