Nov 4, 2012; Nashville, TN, USA; Chicago Bears corner back Charles Tillman (33) knocks the ball out of the hands of Tennessee Titans tight end Jared Cook (89) during the second half at LP Field. The Bears beat the Titans 51-20. Mandatory credit: Don McPeak-US Presswire
The Houston Texans have been the most complete team in football this year. That’s not to say that they have been the best, but they certainly don’t have any glaring holes on their team.
The Chicago Bears are not dissimilar to the 2006 team that went to the Super Bowl with Rex Grossman at the helm if for no other reason than they have a phenomenal, point-scoring, defense and a quarterback that they can’t rely on.
The Texans and Bears are not similar teams regardless of what people try to tell you. You can compare Cutler’s and Schaub’s numbers and talk about how on paper they are about the same but that couldn’t be further from the truth. With the game on the line every true Texans fan wants the ball in Matt Schaub’s hands. Bears fans cringe at the thought of their interception-prone quarterback leading them when it matters most and would rather see Urlacher and Peanut Tillman take the field.
While both teams have a running game with patient runners as the number one and power backs as the number two, the Texans run a zone-blocking scheme, something the Bears do not. The other biggest difference is that the Bears do not utilize their tight ends, something the Texans are known for.
Finally the Texans and Bears both have one of the best receivers in the NFL in Andre Johnson and Brandon Marshall Respectively. That being said I would certainly rather have Andre than Marshall.
The defense is obviously the one place that the Bears come away with a checkmark on paper. They are on an historic touchdown pace as they are only two touchdowns short of the NFL record and we are merely halfway through the season. I wouldn’t say the Texans defense is filled with slouches and we could very well see the two most likely Defensive Player of the Year Candidates on the field on Sunday Night in Peanut Tillman and J.J. Watt.
However, we may not, as ESPN reported that Tillman’s wife is due to have a baby any day now and while she is scheduled for Monday, he said if she was to go into labor on Sunday he would miss the game to be there.
I personally would prefer to beat the Bears at full strength, but a win is a win and with Tillman out it would definitely be easier to attain.
I like the Texans this week but in a close one: 24-21