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Bears and Texans Game Day Blog

Live reporting and analysis from Soldier Field where the Chicago Bears face the Houston Texans, coached by their former coach Lovie Smith.

Fourth Quarter

  • Santos from 30 yards and Bears win. Bears 23, Texans 20
  • Bears take timeout with three seconds left at the 12.
  • Fields takes a knee and is knocked down but no penalty call. 
  • At the 11 after Texans take their last timeout, the Bears take a knee and the clock runs down. 
  • Roquan Smith with the pick as Mills looks one way, comes back the other way and Angelo Blackson tips it. Roquan Smith picks it off and returns it to Texans 12. He was trying to throw it to Burkhead very late and Smith didn't go for the fake, and then the tip slowed it down some more. 
  • Two short passes and the cock is running on third-and-9.
  • Texans at their 17 with 1:42 left.
  • Gill short squibbed punt bounces and nearly hits Texans' Stewart in the back. The Texans are called for holding on the return anyway after the 41-yard punt.
  • A short flare to Herbert and he runs to the 32 and they'll punt. Texans use their second timeout with 1:52 remaining.
  • TWO-MINUTE WARNING!!!
  • Bootleg pass and Texans have Pitre up blitzing. He smears Fields for an 8-yard loss. 
  • Herbert with a 2-yard run now has 156 yards rushing.
  • Herbert breaks another one, this off left tackle and then to the outside for 19 yards to get them out of the hole.
  • Now it's the Bears taking over deep, at their own 12 after a 49-yard punt.
  • He has to dump it down and Morrow rallies to the ball for the tackle. Texans punt.
  • Eddie Jackson with a pass defense, breaks up throw on rollout pass 20 yards downfield. Third-and-18 now with 3:50 left.
  • Only 60,592 at the ballyard today.
  • Burkhead smeared for 2-yard gain on first-and-20.
  • Quessenberry, who has returned to the game, is called for holding. 
  • Pharaoh Brown gets wide open from Morrow coverage for a 30-yard pass over the middle on third down. Terrible coverage by Morrow.
  • Pierce fumbles on first down and three Bears are there to recover but can't come up with it. Then a flare pass to Burkhead for 3. Third-and-10 at the 9.
  • Fields got his passer rating up to 24.7 with that drive.
  • Desmond King fair catch at the 9 with 6:39 remaining.
  • Morrow false starts as Bears try to draw them offsides.
  • Fields scrambles, doesn't get it, lays on the sidelines for a second like he's hurt but appears OK. They'll punt from the Texans' 43.
  • Illegal substitution penalty on Texans as they ran players off the field so it is third-and-8. That makes a difference.
  • Off tackle to Herbert doesn't develop and it's a loss of 4 on Jonathan Greenard's TFL.
  • How can one guy be so bad at that. Can't they get him someone in the booth to tell him to stick that red flag in his pocket and leave it there? Texans now with two timeouts.
  • Lovie loses the challenge. ... Again. 
  • Lovie thinks he fumbled and threw the red flag but a replay opposite side shows his knee on the ground and the ball in Fields' hand. Of course Lovie is going to lose this. He always loses challenges. That's his legacy in Chicago.
  • A fake pitchout by Fields and run up the middle. Not a good idea. They came off the backside and smeared him for a yard plus he fumbled but was ruled down. 
  • Drops back and there it is, Mooney 18 yards downfield in the middle of the zone.
  • Mustipher with an illegal snap and it's just as well because it was fumbled by Fields, second time. 
  • Third down play action to Kmet for 16 yards over the middle. Officials don't blow the whistle and he gets 2 more yards but then they bring it back to where he caught it. 
  • Some penetration by Texans Rasheem Green and they stop Herbert for 2. Then the Bears go back to an end around by St. Brown and it doesn't work this time. They net 2 more.
  • Herbert a power run up the middle for the first down on a 6-yard gain.
  • Great run blocking off the right side again for 8 by Herbert. Bears pulled Braxton Jones and he led the charge on that side with Borom and Patrick.
  • Fields, 5 of 14, 65 yards, two interceptions, 11.6 passer rating. He's having one of the worst days for a Bears quarterback ever. Looks like a mobile version of Rex Grossman, 2007 vintage.
  • The defense bailed out Fields on both of his interceptions. First with the pick Eddie Jackson made in the end zone and this time with the drive-killing sack by Jones and stick by Nicholas Morrow on a screen pass.
  • Nicholas Morrow sniffed out a screen pass, arrived after the catch by a second and made the big hit. Texans punt from Bears 47. Punt rolls dead at the 8.
  • The Bears couldn't have had a better time for Justin Jones' first sack, coming up the middle on second-and-6. An 8-yard loss forces third-and-12 at the Bears 43.
  • Pitre returns it 21 yards to Bears 39.
  • Pitre picks Fields again on a deep ball over the middle to Mooney. Another poorly thought-out throw and bad execution when they needed 6 yards.
  • Herbert's 123 yards on 13 carries is a career high for yards. Broke his old high of 100 against Tampa Bay last year in a blowout loss.

Third Quarter

  • Herbert closes the quarter by burrowing for 4 off left guard.
  • Fields gets in the open, boot pass, has room to run, decides to throw but no one is open and he overthrows Tonges.
  • Bears start at the 22 after a 20-yard return.
  • What has become apparent is the Bears get their productivity from basic execution of basic plays. Houston has the Bears guessing on defense, though.
  • Fairbairn with a 23-yard field goal and it's tied. A 14-play Texans drive in 7:31. There are 54 seconds left in the quarter.  Texans 20, Bears 20
  • Cave-In. Smith leads it. Everyone else on the defensive line arrives for a 3-yard loss and Texans lineman Kenyan Green is injured and helped off. They'll try the short field goal.
  • Third down conversion for 15 to Phillip Dorsett. At the sideline. No one near Dorsett. They try then to work Rex Burkhead for a play-action throw and Thomas stops him at the 5. Burkhead then tries to carry it in and gets only 2. Third-and-1 at the 2.
  • They try to isolate Collins on Gordon on a deep ball with play-action and Collins tries to push off but Gordon won't let him. The ball is badly thrown OB anyway. Then Pierce nets 3 up the middle to Bears 26.
  • Collins on the post with a play-action for 20 yards. Big crowd gets there but they're three steps too late.
  • Wide receiver screen a surprise play but Gordon is blitzing and knocks it down a few feet after it left Mills' hand. Bears look to get it back on a punt but Houston fakes it with a direct snap to MJ Stewart and gets the first down with 3 yards.
  • Mills dumps it down to Pierce for 9 but had two receivers running wide open downfield.
  • Smith flies in from across the field and sticks Pierce for no gain on what basically was the same play that produced 12 yards in two carries.
  • Two Pierce runs for 12 yards move the sticks. Bears front being overpowered on both.
  • Bears didn't need Fields running a QB sneak from the shotgun for that TD. Five plays, 75 yards, 3:00. Bears 1-yard Herbert run regain the lead. Bears 20, Texans 17
  • Herbert keeps plowing ahead from a yard out and official from across the goal line on the other side calls it a touchdown with 8:25 remaining in quarter. 
  • 2-yard loss by Herbert and then he gets back 3. Third-and-goal from just inside the 2. They call it the 1. 
  • Then the bootleg pass works to St. Brown to the 3-yard line for a 20-yard gain.
  • Brilliant 52-yard run by Herbert cutting up the middle and then left to the Texans 23.
  • Mills 9 of 17, 144 yards 1 TD, 1 INT, 76.6 rating. That shouldn't be good enough for a four-point lead on the road. But Bears offense is a sputtering, inconsistent mess.
  • Screen thrown back across the field and Jackson reacts quickly, gets over and stops in 2 yards short. On fourth-and-2, Lovie hesitates but opts for a Ka'imi field goal of 39 yards. Texans 17, Bears 13
  • Mills tries to put one in the middle of the zone to Cooks and the ears are waiting. It goes incomplete as Eddie Jackson arrives. On second down, Armon Watts prevents a big run with a shoestring tackle after 3 yards. Third-and-7.
  • Vildor called for illegal contact after a second-and-6 incompletion. There was contact but it appeared not to have impacted the play.
  • Akins beats Gordon across the field for a 25-yard gain to Bears 38.
  • Gordon slips, then misses the tackle on first down pass to Pierce for 12 yards.
  • Texans at the 25.

Second Quarter

  • Herbert gets the first down to the 24 but Bears don't use a timeout. Then Fields is stopped for sack of zero yards and the boos as Bears run out the clock. Lots of boos.
  • Herbert breaks a run up the middle for 12 yards to the 19 and Houston takes its second timeout with 46 seconds left. Still a yard short of the first down.
  • They run a QB draw and Fields gets a first down but holding is called on Cole Kmet downfield. Mooney and Kmet with two bad plays in succession. They're not having the big years so far everyone expected.
  • Mooney out in the open with some running room drops a short pass. Wow.
  • Santos' field goal was his first 50-yarder this year and third the last two seasons.
  • Punt goes OB very effectively at the Bears 10 with 1:04 left.
  • Three and out as ordered. The Bears got good heat on Mills up the middle and no one was open so he threw it away.
  • Texans could get the ball two straight possessions now unless Bears can come up with a three-and-out.
  • Lousy looking low kick but it gets the job done. Ends 12-play, 50-yard drive that took 5:44. There is 1:48 left in the half. Texans 14, Bears 13
  • Texans go single safety high and blitz. Fields gets sacked for a loss back to the 32 and they'll try a 50-yard field goal.
  • Fields has 45 passing yards and 42 rushing.
  • The run blocking hasn't been steady but it has been enough to get them occasional chunk yardage. What hasn't been available is the passing. Fields has 45 yards and 24 came on that one pass to Kmet on this drive.
  • TWO-MINUTE WARNING !!!!
  • Ebner fumbles the second-down handoff but recovers in stride for a second straight 2-yard gain at the Texans 23.
  • After a Fields incomplete throw on the run, Ebnber powers for 5 and they go no-huddle. Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning needed badly at the moment, Cole Kmet with his first catch of the year crossing the field for 24 yards at Houston 27.
  • Tremendous blocking by Borom and Lucas Patrick on the right side opens it up for a 7-yard Ebner run around right end, then he steps straight up the middle around Mustipher for another 7-yard run.
  • Fields scrambles again up the middle for 7 and a first down. Went straight upfield and dove for the first down because he wouldn't have had it if he slid.
  • Boot pass and Fields nearly has it taken away from behind by Christian Kirksey but scrambles for 6.
  • Fields overthrows EQ in the backfield, very nearly a lateral. A really poor pass. Fields looks sloppy and shaken.
  • Ebner stopping again before getting to the blocking wall and is stopped at the 18. They need to start looking at someone else doing that job.
  • Pierce with 12 carries for 66 yards.
  • From Bears 7, Pierce takes it for 6 around left end for a first down at the 1. Then Pierce burrows in from the 1 for the touchdown. A four-play, 41-yard drive, all the yards from Pierce. Texans 14, Bears 10.
  • Pierce than slants for 9 and the Bears are reeling.
  • Trenton Gill outkicks the poor coverage and Desmond King returns it 30 yards. Then Pierce breaks off right tackle for 24 yards to the Bears 17.
  • Not sure what the thinking was by Luke Getsy other than lacking confidence in Fields but they hand off to Ebner on third down and don't get the first down.
  • Herbert inches it forward about half a foot up the middle, then breaks a tackle at the line on a toss left to get 3. Third-and-6 at their 14.
  • Fields 3 of 7 for 21 yards.
  • 11:47 left in the first half and at least their defensive backs appeared to rally on that last drive.
  • Mills with an overthrow on third down and Bears get the ball back after a punt at their own 10.
  • Vildor cuts sharply and knocks down pass to Cooks on first down. Then the Texans try Pierce again, this around left end but Smith gets him after 4.
  • Bears with a three-and-out forced and Kyler Gordon with great coverage for a breakup on Collins on second down but a defensive holding call on Jaylon Jones on third down away from the play gives the Texans new life.
  • Without Pringle, Bears are down to Darnell Mooney, EQ, Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Dante Pettis at wide receiver for this game.
  • Texans from their 31.
  • The pass rush needs to be there against a quarterback who is less mobile like Mills. Especially, it needs to be there in the middle of the line to get him off his mark when he throws.
  • The big plays the Bears gave up the last two drives were scary but even worse, the Texans have taken control of the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
  • Bears second-and-10 at their 20. Bears go with naked backfield and Fields sees no one open, tries to get out to the left and is sacked for a 7-yard loss. On third-and-17, Herbert takes a draw to the 22 and they'll punt.

First Quarter

  • A screen to Herbert and quarter ends with 5-yard gain after a false start on Larry Borom. Second-and-10. Bears 10, Texans 7
  • Slant to Cooks goes up into the air after being broken up by Vildor and Eddie Jackson picks it up at the back of the end zone.
  • Roquan Smith with a big TFL at the 6. Broke right into the backfield and ankle tackled Pierce.
  • Then Vildor is beat on a slant by Nico Collins to the Bears 5 on a 19-yard gain. Mills throwing and receivers are wide open now.
  • Mills drills one over the middle 17 yards to the Bears 24.
  • May have hit the ground after the catch but the replay angles can't confirm this and Texans have the ball.
  • Pringle has a calf injury and his return is doubtful. Also, Montgomery has an ankle and knee injury and his return is doubtful.
  • Interception under review.
  • Jalen Pitre picks off Fields on a poor overthrows of Cole Kmet, who had come wide open on the play. Kmet made the tackle alertly. Terrible overthrow by Fields. Texans at the Bears 41.
  • Then Ebner gets to stay on the field for a carry but loses a yard.
  • Ebner stopped at the 20 on the return after catching it at the 3.
  • Mills did a nice job waiting in the pocket for Akins to come all the way across the formation to the back. The Bears had very little pass rush on that drive, and that might have been their best rush down when he threw the TD.
  • Plenty of big plays in this game so far when it looked like it might be a grind game with two teams who play the same defensive schemes.
  • Two more Pierce runs leave Houston in second-and-4 but Mills throws to the back of the end zone to Jordan Akins, who has beaten Kindle Vildor for a 4-yard touchdown. Akins was just promoted from the practice squad today. A 75-yard, 3:05 drive. Bears 10, Texans 7
  • Bears get the ball out of Dameon Pierce's hands and can't recover it on a 9-yard run up the middle. Tytus Howard, RT, was hurt on the play and left the field.
  • No pass rush and Chris Moore totally beats Kyler Gordon for a huge gain of 52 yards to the Bears 20 coming across the field. Gordon four or five steps behind him.
  • A 3-yard run and incomplete pass at the sideline to Brandin Cooks leaves Texans facing third-and-7.
  • Bears with 111 net rushing yards and 16 so far. So much for the need to pass the ball.
  • Behind Cody Whitehair and Sam Mustipher, Herbert runs 11 and then for the TD on another 11-yard run. He set up the blocks on the TD run perfectly, and at the same time stretched out the defense. Bears 10, Texans 0
  • Behind some of the best blocking on any play this year at the point of attack, Khalil Herbert blasts for 8 and a first down. Then they actually get it to Mooney for a 5-yard gain at the 22 of Houston.
  • After a few scary moments, Montgomery is able to walk off by himself with the trainers and medical people and they are going to look at him further on the sidelines. At the same time, Byron Pringle is injured and walked down to the locker room with trainers. They're already shorthanded at receiver.
  • pounds ahead for 5 and then Fields flagged for grounding on a screen. But he was roughed. However, Montgomery is injured badly on the play while pass blocking. He was hit from behind on the legs. Medical personal on the field now helping him.
  • Equanimeous St. Brown flashes speed on an end around for 41 yards around left side. Didn't know he had that kind of speed. At the Texans 40.
  • Jaquan Brisker breaks up third-down pass and Texans punt. Dante Pettis has some problem judging the ball and let it hit but he got a 1-yard return after fielding it on the hip.
  • The greatest linebacker of all time, Dick Butkus gets standing ovation after being introduced on the sidelines to fans.

Scott Quessenberry, lineman for Texans, injured on second-down 2-yard run. Texans facing third-and-4.

  • Texans back Dameon Pierce shows his power on first run, breaking right through a Joe Thomas tackle attempt. They brought up Thomas from practice squad and put him in starting lineup.
  • A third-down draw on third-and-10 gets the Bears into field goal range with a 5-yard Montgomery run. Cairo Santos connects from 47. A nine-play, drive of 45 yards but 29 came on Fields' scramble. Bears 3, Texans 0
  • Again Houston sitting on the naked bootleg with Ogbonnia Okoronkwo flushing Fields out and forcing an incompletion out of bounds. That's supposed to be a staple of this offense but it's two straight games it hasn't been there. Three actually, because they didn't run it against San Francisco but they couldn't because of the weather.
  • Darnell Mooney a target right away at the line of scrimmage but Houston sniffed it out and Fields more or less threw it away. A 1-yard David Montgomery run left them in third-and-9 and Field scrambled for 29. Great blocking downfield from Montgomery on it.
  • Even though Houston is watching the edge, the boot pass worked for a 13-yard gain to Byron Pringle going out of bounds.
  • Should have practiced those snaps a little more with Mustipher. Fields fumbles the first snap and recovers.
  • Bear start the game from their 25 after a touchback.
  • Trestan Ebnber the return man again to start this game.
  • Bears lose toss and will receiver.

Inactives

Bears

  • WR Velus Jones Jr.
  • CB Jaylon Johnson
  • G Ja'Tyre Carter
  • CB Dane Cruikshank
  • LB Matthew Adams
  • TE Ryan Griffin

Texans

  • TE Brevin Jordan
  • WR Tyler Johnson
  • DB Isaac Yiadom
  • LB Jake Hansen
  • OL Austin Deculus 
  • DL Kurt Hinish

Pregame

  • In warmups, they lined up with Gordon playing right cornerback in the base but had rookie Jaylon Jones in with the starters at right cornerback in the nickel. This will be a real test for Jones, an undrafted rookie from Mississippi. He has been on the field for 30 special teams plays but no defensive plays so far.
  • Sam Mustipher practicing snaps with Justin Fields so we are to assume Lucas Patrick will not be moving back to center yet. 
  • It will be Jake Tonges and Trevon Wesco when the Bears go to multiple tight end packages since Ryan Griffin can't play due to Achilles soreness. Wesco was known as an excellent blocker with the Jets. Tonges, an undrafted free agent this year, was more of a pass catcher who made 47 receptions with four TDs at Cal.
  • Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Bears expect Roquan Smith to play despite the hip injury that kept him out of practice all week. It makes sense considering they could have activated two linebackers from the practice squad after they ruled Matthew Adams out, but they activated only Joe Thomas. 
  • The other big question was cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who had a hamstring injury and was also questionable.  However, Johnson is inactive and this means the Bears could be playing Lamar Jackson on the right side of the field depending on whether they are in nickel. If Gordon is in the slot, then it would be Jackson on the right side. They could also move Kindle Vildor over there and put Gordon on the left side. It's a huge loss for the Bears, just as big as if Smith wouldn't have been able to play. The last game Johnson missed with as at Seattle last year, and sixth-round rookie Thomas Graham Jr. started in his place for a 25-24 Bears win. Graham is now in Cleveland, having been plucked off the practice squad and put on the 53-man Browns roster.
  • If the Bears do start or play Lamar Jackson extensively to replace Jaylon Johnson, they'll at least have some experience on the field. He started six games as a rookie in 2020 for the Jets but has played in only two games since then with no starts.
  • Field looking pretty solid two weeks after the great flood. It's pretty remarkable actually, considering what transpired on opening day.
  • Mark Grote was an aquatic sideline reporter in the first home game.

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