This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Week 2 Chicago Bears @ Houston Texans, Betting Odds, Picks, and Predictions
The NFL serves up another tantalizing Sunday night dessert after a day's worth of action, as two young talented signal-callers take center stage in the Bears-Texans interleague clash.
Rookie first overall pick Caleb Williams had an inauspicious pro debut that saw him throw for under 100 yards and complete just under 50% of his passes, but rough outings like that should become an anomaly.
Meanwhile, C.J. Stroud got his sophomore campaign off to a solid, albeit unspectacular, start. But like Williams and the Bears, Stroud and his squad escaped with a hard-fought victory.
Without further ado, let's examine top bets and a game prediction for Sunday night's Bears-Texans showdown.
NFL season is here and its an excellent time to take advantage of great sportsbook promos. Use this BetMGM bonus code for first-bet offers of up to $1500 in bonus bets
Bears Vs. Houston Texans Betting Odds and Picks for Week 2
*Best lines at time of writing listed
Moneyline: Bears +240 (FanDuel)/ Texans -270 (DraftKings)
Point spread: Bears +6.5 (BetMGM)/ Texans -6 (Caesars)
Totals: Under 45.5 points -105 (FanDuel)/ Over 45.5 points -108 (DraftKings)
The spread for this game has seen some modest movement, as it sat at 5.5 after Sunday's Week 1 victories for each team. However, it climbed as high as 6.5 within a few hours, and even touched 7.0 at one point Monday night. It has subsequently seen a bit of a correction, bouncing between 6.5 and 6.0 since then.
The total has taken a bit of a ride as well, opening at 47 before settling in the 45-to-45.5-point range for the last several days, with the Bears' strong defensive effort in Week 1 apparently being given credence despite the tougher matchup that Houston presents.
NFL season has kicked off! Time to sign up at the best online sportsbooks. Use this Caesars Sportsbook promo code for a first-bet bonus bet of up to $1000.
Chicago Bears @ Houston Texans Betting Picks
The primary focus for casual fans and even bettors for this glitzy matchup is naturally going to be on the offenses, given the star power on either side. Williams did not maximize his weapons during his NFL debut, but D'Andre Swift, DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, and even complementary pieces like Khalil Herbert, Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett are all accomplished pass catchers to varying degrees.
The Texans' have a deep and impressive arsenal as well, given the presence of Joe Mixon, Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell and Dalton Schultz in addition to Stroud. Houston did a much better job manifesting its offensive potential in Week 1, accruing 417 total yards and 26 first downs against the Colts as Stroud completed an elite 75% of his passes. However, this is a very different matchup for both teams , one that should lead to something close to a wire-to-wire battle.
To begin with, Chicago will likely miss at least one important offensive piece. The Bears list both Allen (heel) and Odunze (knee) las questionable, with the former looking particularly iffy after missing practice all week. In contrast, the Texans should enter at full strength, as tight end Dalton Schultz has shaken his ankle injury and doesn't carry an injury tag on the final report of the week.
Houston figures to need all its weapons against an extremely talented and aggressive Bears defense that made life miserable for Titans QB Will Levis in Week 1. Chicago intercepted Levis twice, including a pick-six, while also forcing and recovering a fumble and sacking him three times. Stroud took three sacks against the Colts and figures to face a fair amount of pressure again on Sunday night.
However, Williams, who threw for only 93 yards in the opener, has a tall order in his own right. The Texans' defense has room for improvement after Week 1. Houston picked up a pair of sacks against the elusive Anthony Richardson in its opener and has a defensive-minded coach in DeMeco Ryans guiding them. Ryans made a drastic difference in improving his team's run-stopping capabilities in his first season as head coach in 2023. Look for another incremental step forward this season.
This game will likely play out somewhat conservatively early on as Williams tries to improve on his debut performance, but likely plays the game short at least one key receiver. Meanwhile, Stroud will undoubtedly stay as aggressive as usual, but will also have to fend off a Bears defense that can both rush the passer and cover very effectively.
As such, I ultimately see this game falling a bit short of the projected total. Joe Mixon, who handled a massive 33-touch workload in Week 1, should have another busy game as the Texans aim to keep the attacking Bears off balance.
Same-Game Parlay: Under 46.5 points Alt. Total and Joe Mixon 60+ rushing yards (+128 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
No better time than now to take advantage of terrific NFL betting promos like this FanDuel promo code, good for $200 in bonus bets
Chicago Bears at Houston Texans Prediction
Texans 24, Bears 20
The big names at the skill positions for each team aside, I see this game as a mid-range one in terms of offensive expectations. Both defenses have plenty of talent, and the Texans could see an improvement in performance on that side of the ball this week with the Bears likely short-handed at receiver. All the prime players should register their share of productive plays, but ultimately, I see the more experienced Stroud as just a bit better as Ryans finds ways to confound Williams enough defensively for the home team to escape.
