The Houston Texans were able to eke out a win on Sunday night, defeating the Chicago Bears 19-13 on Sunday Night Football. The club didn't look great, struggling on offense due to a variety of reasons, but they did rebound on defense. Not only did the defense rebound, they looked positively impressive. They picked off Bears' rookie quarterback Caleb Williams twice and sacked him seven times.
It was an utterly dominating performance from the Texans. One so impressive that we're optimistic that the two sides of the team will be at their best at the same time in the not-so-distant future. Imagine the Texans offense that showed up against the Indianapolis Colts and the defense that showed up against the Bears, combining against the best the NFL has to offer.
It's a very realistic possibility, and with the Texans' schedule, they're going to have to make that hope into a reality, not just a possibility. They have to start playing dominantly on both sides of the ball against the best teams in the league.
Otherwise, this season is going to be harder than it needs to be. Especially when it comes to prime-time performances. The Texans aren't done playing in prime time and they're likely done playing the "easier" teams in the league.
In fact, in each of the Texans' remaining four prime-time games, the teams just get harder. So who do the Texans have to worry about?
Starting on Halloween, the Texans have to deal with the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football. After that, they have another Sunday Night Game on Nov. 11, this time against the Detroit Lions. In their lone Monday Night Football performance on Nov. 18,, the Texans will face off with fellow Texans team, the Dallas Cowboys in a game that will likely be for inter-state bragging rights. Lastly, the Texans take on the Baltimore Ravens in the early evening on Dec. 25, 2024.