This postgame breakdown covers the Chicago Bears’ 19-13 loss to the Houston Texans in their second game of the 2024 season. The analysis starts with Caleb Williams, who had a mixed performance. He was solid in the first half but struggled in the second, with seven sacks and two interceptions, though some of the blame falls on the offensive line and play-calling. The Texans adjusted their defense, and Williams wasn’t able to find consistent rhythm under pressure, particularly as the offensive line faltered.

The Bears’ offensive line was a major point of concern, as they struggled to protect Williams and failed to open up the run game. DeAndre Swift was held to just 18 yards on 14 carries, highlighting their inability to establish a ground game. The play-calling by Shane Waldron also drew criticism, particularly for continuing to run outside zones from the shotgun, which wasn’t working.

Williams’ performance was graded at a C-minus or D-plus, showing potential but also several missed opportunities. The lack of protection and poor run game forced Williams to carry too much of the offensive load. DJ Moore and others had moments of frustration, indicating some disconnection between Williams and his receivers.

On defense, the Bears performed well, especially in the second half, holding the Texans to just three points. They nearly had a game-changing pick-six from Kyler Gordon and were praised for shutting down Joe Mixon and limiting the Texans’ total yardage. The Bears’ defense looks playoff-worthy, but their offense needs to improve, particularly with the offensive line and run game, if they want to compete at a higher level.

The analysis closes by noting that the Bears’ defense is solid enough to contend, but the offense needs to reach at least a top-20 level for the team to be a playoff contender this season.