HOUSTON — You couldn’t see the loose ball in the pile. But it was there. The Chicago Bears knew it. They could feel it. Defensive tackle Andrew Billings forced the fumble. The Bears just had to fight for the ball.
“The ball changed hands a few times down there at the bottom of the pile,” safety Kevin Byard said. “I was just able to come up with it last.”
Byard’s recovery of Houston Texans running back Cam Akers’ fumble on the Bears’ 3-yard line provided the team with new life in the middle of the fourth quarter when the Bears were losing. It’s a forgotten highlight from another good day for the Bears defense because there are so many offensive problems to detail again.
“We feel like as a defense we need to force some more turnovers,” Byard said in the Bears’ locker room at NRG Stadium after the game. “Obviously, got a timely turnover in the red zone down there, but you get on the road, man, you got to force turnovers against a good offense.”
The Bears defense did its part in Houston, though. This is where this week’s takeaway column begins.
1. It’s early, but the Bears defense appears to be everything the team believed it would be this season.
With rookie quarterback Caleb Williams throwing two interceptions in the second half, the defense didn’t win the turnover battle against the Texans. But it did respond when needed.
Those interceptions turned into only three points for Houston in the second half.
After Williams’ second pick, the defense produced a quick three-and-out, highlighted by a blitz and sack by linebacker Jack Sanborn on second down for an 8-yard loss.
“We had a couple sudden changes on those interceptions where we didn’t blink at all,” Byard said.
Responding in the second half has become an early trend for the Bears defense. Whatever they’re doing at halftime, it’s working. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was 9-for-17 passing for 87 yards in the second half after going 14-for-19 for 173 yards and a touchdown in the first half.
2. It’s early, but the Bears’ offensive line appears to be the opposite of what the team believed it would be this season.
The outside concerns and questions raised about the assembly of the line feel warranted at this point. The investments made by the Bears up front haven’t been enough. General manager Ryan Poles will have to do more if things don’t change.
According to TruMedia, the Bears have allowed nine sacks and 29 pressures after two games. The Texans relentlessly blitzed Williams because they could. The downs and distances the Bears were in allowed it to happen. The Bears’ line couldn’t handle the blitzes even when Williams recognized them before the snap. The interior had trouble with Houston’s stunts.
“I do believe when you’re able to run the ball and move the ball and stay ahead of the chains, you don’t get those types of pressures … where we know you’re all pass protection,” coach Matt Eberflus said Monday.
In other words, the Bears are struggling to pass because they can’t run the ball. Through two games, running back D’Andre Swift has 24 carries for 48 yards. You can’t run play-action passes off run fakes when the run game isn’t working.
“I always think it always starts with running the football,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “I think every offense, the No. 1 goal is to run the football effectively. I think it always starts there.”
3. If the Bears want to send another message to their locker room, it might be time to bench right guard Nate Davis.
It’s somewhat unfair to single out when so many are to blame for the protection problems up front, including the quarterback himself.
Right tackle Darnell Wright gave up the worst sack of the game on second-and-10 from the Bears’ 47 in the final minute against veteran defensive end Danielle Hunter. Left guard Teven Jenkins hasn’t been his mauling self every snap. And center Coleman Shelton has often looked overwhelmed and overpowered against bigger, stronger defensive linemen.
But Davis’ woes date to training camp when Eberflus sent messages through the media to challenge and motivate him.
Davis started against the Tennessee Titans, his former team, in Week 1, but Ryan Bates still played more than he did after their rotation started. With Bates on injured reserve, the next option would be veteran Matt Pryor.
The Bears made receiver/running back Velus Jones Jr. inactive against the Texans after his muffed kickoff return and turnover in Week 1.
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4. The next three games will tell us a lot about Shane Waldron’s game planning and play calling.
With only one offensive touchdown in two games, Waldron deserves to be criticized. But he has some get-right games up next on the schedule against the Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers.
The Colts, who host the Bears in Week 3, have allowed 800 total yards in two games. Only the Rams, who visit the Bears in Week 4 at Soldier Field, have allowed more yards this season at 852. The Rams are dealing with numerous injury problems, too.
The Titans and Texans posed different challenges for Waldron. Tennessee and Houston are in the top five in the league in yards allowed, giving up 413 and 508 yards, respectively.
The Colts (474 yards), Panthers (399) and Rams (394) have the three worst run defenses in the league after two weeks. Because of that, opposing quarterbacks have been efficient. The Colts (120.7), Rams (121.4) and Panthers (124.2) rank 29th, 30th and 31st in opposing quarterback passer rating. Those teams also rank among the bottom in the league in third-down percentage and the bottom third in yards per play.
If Waldron’s offense can’t move the ball against them, the Bears might be in for a really long, frustrating season.
5. The Bears wouldn’t have had a chance to win the game against the Texans without kicker Cairo Santos.
Houston kicker Kai’imi Fairbairn put on a show with field goals of 56, 47, 59 and 53 yards. But Santos kept pace with the opportunities he had, making his kicks from 53 and 54 yards.
Santos’ kicks lacked the same pop and arc as Fairbairn’s, but Santos was accurate. That included striking the camera just beyond the crossbar.
The best part of Santos’ success is that it’s happening with a rookie punter Tory Taylor holding for him and with a new long snapper in Scott Daly, who arrived in Week 1 with Patrick Scales going on injured reserve. All three players deserve credit for their immediate chemistry, along with special teams coordinator Richard Hightower.
(Top photo of Tremaine Edmunds sacking C.J. Stroud: Tim Warner / Getty Images)
