Bears vs. Texans: 3 keys for Chicago's defense in Week 2

The Chicago Bears (1-0) will get their first taste of prime-time football when they travel to Houston to do battle with the Texans (1-0) on Sunday night, giving the wider NFL world their first glimpse of  what the Bears are capable of.

How capable they will be is the biggest burning question heading into the premier game, as the team’s offense looked nothing like the snappy offense filled with star players that was promised in the offseason. Chicago took to their roots and relied on their defense and special teams to overcome the Tennessee Titans (0-1) in Week 1.

The much more refined Texans also were Week 1 victors, and they already looked to be playoff-ready with elite quarterback C.J. Stroud running the show. Houston only bolstered their squad with explosive weapons this year, most notably adding All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs and Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon to put the offense over the top in 2024.

Defense may have been the star of the show opening weekend, but they’ll be under the spotlight in more than just the literal sense in Week 2. Let’s break down the three keys for the Bears defense vs. the Texans in Week 2.

1. Use blitzes to pressure C.J. Stroud

Second year quarterback C.J. Stroud has already asserted himself as one of the best passers in the NFL after grabbing hold of an under-utilized Texans offense last year and molding them into a scoring machine capable of going blow for blow with the league’s best. Houston has the same agenda in 2024, trading haymakers with the impressive-looking Colts and coming out on top after the fireworks died down in Week 1.

It goes without saying that allowing Stroud to sit in the pocket unimpeded and launch missiles over the top of the defense is not in the Bears’ interest, so they’ll have to tweak their scheme a bit to be able to consistently get in the opposing quarterback’s face. Although Chicago’s front four was effective in disrupting the pocket and forcing Titans quarterback Will Levis to make some mistakes, they’re going to need assistance from the rest of the defense in rushing the passer this week. The Texans possess a stingy offensive line that could pose a problem for the Bears’ front, which is where defensive coordinator Eric Washington will have to step in and draw up a blitz-centric scheme to use on Sunday night.

The Bears will surely come to the same conclusion that putting Stroud under duress is a key to their success, so expect the cornerbacks and linebackers to have some QB pressures and, hopefully, sacks in the box score after Week 2.

2. Disrupt the Texans' run game

If we’re being objective in our analysis of the Bears matchup against the Texans this week, Stroud is going to find ways to hurt the defense through the air. There’s no point in denying a certainty; it’s just what great players do. That makes stifling the ground game throughout the contest even more paramount than it usually would be, and that will be easier said than done for Chicago. Veteran running back Joe Mixon has been every bit the prized acquisition Houston hoped he’d be, tearing through Colts’ defenders and totaling over 150 yards rushing and a score in Week 1.

Stroud and the offense already have a winning formula throwing the ball, so the Bears will do their best to keep them one-dimensional and eliminate Mixon’s effectiveness Sunday night. Discipline will be a code to live by for the front seven – the D-line penetrating and holding their gaps and the linebackers’ ability to stay level and not over pursue will be critical in accomplishing their goal. Chicago’s chances of pulling off an upset win will become much more likely should they keep Mixon from gashing them on the ground.

3. Take advantage of takeaway opportunities

As pulverizing as the defense has been from their statement late season stretch in 2023 to now, they still have some infuriating habits they have yet to kick. Perhaps their most aggravating characteristic is squander opportunities to give the ball back to the offense. Week 1 saw the phenomenon happen a couple times: the first involved star cornerback Jaylon Johnson giving his all to recover after getting beat deep, catching up to his man and failing to cusp the ball as it slipped between his cradled hands, and the second stroke of bad luck happening when fellow corner Tyrique Stevenson squandered great positioning on a Titans receiver and giving up an unlikely touchdown.

The defense’s incredible performance made those blunders a footnote of their Week 1 victory, but they only managed to overcome early mistakes because the Titans are not a playoff caliber team – the Texans certainly are. The Bears simply cannot drop potential interceptions or fail to pick up a fumble. Game-changing opportunities will be few and far between in Sunday night’s primetime game; the Bears will capitalize on every misstep the Texans make.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. Texans: 3 keys for Chicago's defense in Week 2