Bears vs. Texans: Key matchups to watch in Week 2

The Chicago Bears (1-0) will face the Houston Texans (1-0) on Sunday Night Football in Week 2. The Bears are coming off of a 24-17 comeback win against the Tennessee Titans (0-1) last week. The win was fueled by the Bears’ defense and special teams, as they only had 148 yards of total offense.

The Texans are coming off a win in a 29-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts (0-1), Chicago's Week 3 opponent. This will be the first time the Bears and Texans have faced off since 2022, but now both teams have new, young quarterbacks at the helm of their offenses.

Before Chicago and Houston square off in prime time, are the four key matchups to keep an eye on.

1. Bears secondary vs. Texans receivers

Without a doubt, the Bears’ pass coverage was the highlight of their defense in their comeback win over the Titans. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson only allowed one catch for -2 yards, had an interception and allowed just a 2.8 passer rating. On the opposite end of the field, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson two passes defensed, two tackles for a loss and the game-winning interception en route to winning NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

Obviously, the defense performed well on all levels in that second half comeback, but Johnson and Stevenson have a tall task ahead against three elite Texans’ receivers and an elite passer in C.J. Stroud. Stroud also shared the wealth to his receivers, as Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs each had six receptions, and Tank Dell had three. Regardless of how Chicago’s offense performs, the secondary has to shut down Houston’s air raid to retain any possibility of winning.

2. Bears front seven vs. Joe Mixon

Not only did Stroud throw for 234 yards and two touchdowns, but the Texans made a statement on the ground as well. Running back Joe Mixon had 159 rushing yards and a touchdown in his Houston debut, but what's even more notable than his production is the fact that he carried the ball 30 times.

This offense wants to run the ball down the throat of the defense and then spread the field with their elite air attack. While the Bears were successful in pressuring quarterback Will Levis last week, there are lingering questions about how effective they can be in stopping the run.

Chicago ranked 22nd in the NFL in run defense grade, according to Pro Football Focus. The front seven looked great in getting to the quarterback and stopping receivers from getting further downfield, but they have to be able to shoot gaps quickly against Mixon.

3. Bears offense vs. themselves?

It’s no debate that the Bears offense was just flat out bad in Week 1. Quarterback Caleb Williams never settled in, the receivers could never create separation and the offensive line might’ve been the lowlight for Chicago.

But what’s even more disappointing is that the Bears have weapons, they have the playmakers to make it work, and they also have a very promising talent in Williams at the helm of it all — but Keenan Allen, DJ Moore and Rome Odunze played together just 10 of the Bears’ 53 snaps. On top of that, tight end Cole Kmet only played 12 snaps as an eligible receiver and had one target.

It needs to be Shane Waldron’s No. 1 priority to make Williams' job as easy and smooth of an adjustment as possible. In order to do that, he needs to find ways for Williams to easily get the ball in the hands of his elite playmakers. Chicago isn't going to see production and scoring from their offense if they don’t utilize their best players more.

4. Bears offensive line vs. Texans front seven

Like I mentioned before, the offensive line might’ve stolen the show from Williams for the most disappointing part of the Bears in Week 1. Specifically, the interior offensive line was atrocious in pass blocking, as tackles Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones held their own on the outside. Nate Davis was benched for Ryan Bates early in the game, but Bates didn’t make a difference in the right guard spot.

Interior linemen Coleman Shelton and Teven Jenkins were Chicago’s two worst pass blockers, according to Pro Football Focus. Shelton is an undersized center so I didn’t expect a stellar game out of him, but I did expect better from Jenkins. The Texans had four sacks and four tackles for loss in Week 1. Jenkins needs to step up on the interior so he can take the pressure off Shelton, because if the Bears’ interior line continues to struggle then Williams will not be able to settle down in the pocket.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. Texans: Key matchups to watch in Week 2