The Houston Texans, who are coming off an electrifying 29-27 victory over the division-rival Indianapolis Colts, are getting ready to face an up-and-coming team in Week 2, the Chicago Bears. Despite their lackluster performance in Week 1, there’s a lot of good in this young Chicago football team, from their generational quarterback to the topflight receivers across the board, and a young defense who has the pieces to wreck a game.
The Texans have much to plan for, and it won’t be a cakewalk victory. There are many players the Texans will have to gameplan for, and we look at three of them in this article.
Cornerback Jaylon Johnson
The 25-year-old corner made it clear to the Bears. Pay me or trade me. And they certainly paid him, as he was a priority extension for the Bears. He’s lived up to the 4-year/$76M extension so far, and last week against the Tennessee Titans, Johnson totaled two passes defended, one interception against Will Levis, and two tackles for loss. Johnson, one of the best corners in the league right now, will have a more difficult task this week. However, he’s still a player that CJ Stroud will have to watch for in this Bears secondary.
Defensive End Montez Sweat
Montez Sweat, who came over via trade from the Washington Commanders, has been dominating ever since joining the windy city. After the trade last year, he finished the 2023 season with six sacks, 14 quarterback hits, and one forced fumble in nine games. The Bears' defense is going to be one of the best in the league in due time, and it’s going to be led by these two players who were just mentioned. Sweat is the game wrecker and Johnson can track the ball like a receiver. Knowing where these two players are at all times will be critical in winning this ballgame.
Wide Receiver DJ Moore
Moore has been a terrific addition to the offense since arriving in Chicago. With Rome Odunze not practicing this week with a knee injury, he likely won’t play against Houston. That leaves DJ Moore to get more targets and a larger workload than he did in Week 1. He finished that game with 36 yards on five receptions and was taken out of the game by the Titans' defense. While Moore is always going to be a threat to make plays, Houston has to be taking a page out of the Titans' defense to stop Moore. He’s a threat from all over the field, from a field stretcher to short passes over the middle of the field, Moore can break down a defense from every angle.