Week 2 recap: Caleb Williams is sacked 7 times, throws 2 interceptions as Chicago Bears fall 19-13 to Houston Texans
Published in Football
HOUSTON — The Chicago Bears offense and quarterback Caleb Williams came up short on a national stage Sunday night at NRG Stadium in a 19-13 Houston Texans victory.
Unlike Week 1, when the Bears defense and special teams scored touchdowns, the offense needed to carry the load — and didn’t come through.
In a sloppy game that included 21 penalties between the teams, the Bears got in the end zone just once — their only offensive touchdown of the first two weeks.
The Bears had the ball and a chance to win with 1 minute, 37 seconds to play. Williams hit Rome Odunze with a 27-yard pass to get to the Bears 47-yard line. But Williams threw incomplete, was sacked for a loss of 8 yards, rushed for 1 yard and threw incomplete again on fourth down.
Williams completed 23 of 37 passes for 174 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions and was sacked seven times. The Bears totaled 71 rushing yards, with Khalil Herbert scoring the only touchdown on a 2-yard run shortly before halftime.
The Bears had a chance to pull within a field goal late in the fourth quarter. Defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. was called for roughing the passer to give the Bears first down at the Texans 42-yard line.
But Williams was sacked, Travis Homer ran for 6 yards and Williams threw incomplete on third down. The Bears settled for Cairo Santos’ 54-yard field goal to cut it to 19-13.
The defense got a stop on the Texans’ next drive. But the offense couldn’t come through on the final drive.
Williams committed his first turnover of the season late in the third quarter when cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. intercepted a pas intended for DJ Moore. The Texans capitalized with Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 53-yard field goal. Fairbairn made four field goals, including three from more than 50 yards.
Williams threw another interception early in the fourth quarter when he was trying to escape a sack attempt by Danielle Hunter, who tore Williams’ jersey. Williams threw a pass into heavy traffic, and Kamari Lassiter picked it off.
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud completed 23 of 36 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown.
After a big showing in Week 1, the Bears didn’t nab a takeaway until defensive tackle Andrew Billings forced Cam Akers to fumble and safety Kevin Byard recovered at the Bears 3-yard line with 6:38 to play. That takeaway led to Santos’ final field goal.
Bears nickel Kyler Gordon nearly had an interception late in the third quarter, but the ball hit the ground. Coach Matt Eberflus challenged that it was in fact an interception, but the call on the field of an incomplete pass stood. It was the Bears’ second unsuccessful challenge of the game.
Texans running back Joe Mixon left in the third quarter with an ankle injury but returned early in the fourth.
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