By Kevin Fishbain, Adam Jahns, Mike Jones and Lauren Merola

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams threw his first (and second) interception of his NFL career against the Houston Texans — and behind a faltering Chicago offensive line — on Sunday night at NRG Stadium.

The Bears’ defense was just as stout as it was in Week 1, but the offense couldn’t score enough yards or points on the final drive to pull out the win.

After a scoreless stalemate between the teams in the third quarter, the Texans and Bears traded a pair of field goals, with Chicago closing the gap to 19-13 with less than three minutes to play in the fourth quarter. The Texans failed to score on the ensuing drive, punting the ball back to the Bears with 1 1/2 minutes left in regulation time. But Chicago had no magic tricks up its sleeve and officially fell to 1-1 on the season after Williams failed to hit Rome Odunze on fourth-and-17.

After the game, Texans QB CJ Stroud said he thinks Williams’ performance “will get better as time goes on.”

“I just told (Williams after the game) that everything that’s brought you here will take care of you in the long run,” Stroud said. “Don’t hang your head. Don’t let a tough time get you down. It’s not going to be easy. You’ve been picked No. 1 and for a reason. I wish him the best.”

With the win, the Texans became the ninth 2-0 team in the NFL. The rest of the teams in the Texans’ division, the AFC South, are 0-2.

Stroud is the blueprint for young QBs

Stroud may not have lit up the scoreboard with a bunch of touchdown passes, but he showed once again why he’s one of the best young quarterbacks in the league, and one of the most efficient passers, regardless of experience level.

He completed 23 of 36 passes for 260 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions while posting a 94.7 passer rating. Bobby Slowik’s use of his young quarterback and the way he supports him should serve as a blueprint for the Bears and other teams with young quarterbacks.

AN ELITE THROW FROM CJ7️⃣ ON THE RUN ‼️

📺: @SNFonNBC photo.twitter.com/tiuHx3rOKu

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 16, 2024

Houston’s best drives featured a good run-pass ratio, misdirection plays, end-arounds and quick passes to get the ball out of Stroud’s hands quickly to beat the rush and help him get into a rhythm. Slowik’s counterpart Shane Waldron is also a breakout from the Shanahan coaching tree, having coached under Sean McVay, but he would do well to study Houston’s approach to bolster Williams, who directs an offense that has done very little to establish a run game or keep the defense off balance. — Mike Jones, NFL National Writer

Texans defense stops Williams

Speaking of Williams, give the Texans defense credit for never letting their star rookie get used to it. Williams looked good on the game’s first possession, completing 5-of-5 passes for 55 yards. But the Texans adjusted and kept a steady stream of pressure on Williams, who seemed to apply more and more pressure as the game wore on and became guilty of trying to do too much.

Williams is clearly still adjusting to the speed of the game. He looked frantic as the Bears defenders swarmed him, and when he was under pressure, he often tried to escape and extend plays in the same manner he did when he was at USC. But the problem is that defenders in the NFL are much quicker and more disciplined, and Williams often found himself with linebackers and linemen closing in on him.

With the Bears essentially running a one-dimensional offense, the Texans’ defenders were able to keep their ears to the ground and go after the rookie. They sacked Williams seven times, hit him a bunch more times, and intercepted him twice.

The Texans’ complementary football style paved the way for a gritty victory. Janssen

The Bears offensive line is a serious problem

The Bears’ biggest concern early in the season, the offensive line, has proven to be a serious problem. Williams was knocked around all night, sacked seven times and hit 11 times.

What about another one? @HoustonTexans bag 😤

📺: #CHIvsHOU on NBC/Peacock
📱: Streaming on #NFLPlus photo.twitter.com/iQ09zqRzTp

— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2024

Right tackle Darnell Wright, who held his own for most of the night (a few unforgivable false starts aside), lost his reputation when it mattered most, allowing a sack to Danielle Hunter on the Bears’ final drive. But the interior remained the real problem as the pressure mounted throughout the game. Ryan Bates going on the injured list could prove to be a real hindrance, as he might have started at right guard had he been healthy.

The Bears are forced to make quick passes. There’s no time for anything deep. There’s nowhere for the running backs to run. It’s a familiar story in Chicago, and there’s no quick fix. — Kevin Fishbain, Bears Reporter

A day of growing pains for Williams

The Bears defense gave Williams a chance to be a hero on Sunday night, when he got the ball at his own 20 with 1:37 left. A touchdown and an extra point would win the game for the Bears. But the team isn’t ready for moments like that.

After passing to rookie receiver Odunze for a 27-yard gain, tight end Gerald Everett dropped a pass and Williams was sacked on second down. He scrambled for a 1-yard gain on third-and-18. A final throw to Odunze on fourth down was missed. There was no comeback for the Bears this time.

Williams will get more opportunities. Instead, Sunday was a day of growing pains for him. His offensive line struggled and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s play-calling was once again suspect. — Adam Jahns, Bears Reporter

Required reading

(Photo: Alex Slitz/Getty Images)