Sunday Night Football in Week 2 of the 2024-25 NFL Season features the explosive Houston Texans (1-0) hosting the Chicago Bears (1-0) for a clash between two young quarterbacks tasked with turning their respective franchises around. This game will be broadcast nationally during primetime viewing hours, so audiences should expect a ton of action throughout NBC’s flagship football broadcast. Kickoff is set for 8:20 PM EST on September 15th at NRG Stadium.
Both of these young teams managed to secure a season opening win last weekend, as Houston narrowly edged out division rival Indianapolis 29-27 on the road. Chicago trailed early but pulled off the comeback in the second half against Tennessee, sneaking past the visiting Titans 24-17 at home.
Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams will face a much more difficult matchup here in Week 2, as Houston is capable of putting up points in a hurry while their defense really does a great job slowing down teams on the ground. Williams may have to make a few more passing attempts than he did in his NFL debut in order to keep pace with C.J. Stroud and this high flying Texans offense.
Matchup Details, Betting Market Information and Where to Watch
Oddsmakers opened this game up with the Texans listed as 5-point home favorites. The spread has moved pretty substantially after early betting, as Houston is currently available at -6.5 on most sportsbooks. The total for this matchup is 45.5 points. Viewers hoping to watch the game should note that it will be televised exclusively on NBC. In Canada, the game will also be available on DAZN.
Chicago Bears Pull Off Comeback in Home Opener Against Titans
Bears fans were eventually rewarded after a slow start from rookie Caleb Williams and the rest of the Chicago offense in the first half against Tennessee on Sunday afternoon. Williams and Co. trailed 17-3 after 30 minutes against a subpar Titans team before two defensive touchdowns over the final two quarters allowed them to escape with a hard fought 24-17 home victory. However, Williams still failed to complete even 50% of his passing attempts and was held under 100 yards through the air, which certainly has to change on Sunday night in a matchup against one of the most explosive teams in the entire NFL.
D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen didn’t find much success due to the lackluster play from Williams under center, as the veteran receiving duo combined for only 65 yards on nine total receptions. New addition D’Andre Swift also struggled on the ground after Tennessee started stacking the box, rushing for just 30 yards on a team-high ten carries.
There is absolutely no doubt that Chicago’s strong performance on defense and special teams was the sole reason they managed to sneak away with a win in Week 1, as the Bears returned a blocked punt for a touchdown before adding an interception touchdown return in the second half.
Houston Texans Outlast Indianapolis in Hard Fought Road Win
There is no doubt that the Texans faced a stern test right out of the gate in Week 1, as Houston battled longtime AFC South rival Indianapolis on the road to begin the regular season. After jumping out to an early 12-7 lead in the first half, they were forced to consistently respond on offense after the Colts refused to go away quietly.
QB C.J. Stroud played very well, completing 24/32 throwing attempts for 234 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Stroud certainly had a ton of help from arguably the deepest receiving corps in the entire NFL, as the trio of Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Stefon Diggs combined for almost 200 receiving yards and two touchdowns. RB Joe Mixon stole the show in his Texans debut after leaving Cincinnati over the offseason, torching Indianapolis on the ground for 159 yards and a touchdown on a game-high 30 rushing attempts.
The Texans struggled to contain dynamic quarterback Anthony Richardson at times, allowing him to throw for over 200 passing yards and two touchdowns through the air while also averaging 9.3 yards per carry and scoring a touchdown on the ground. They also gave up a big game to Alec Pierce, as he exploded for 125 receiving yards and a touchdown on just three total receptions.
Our Bears vs Texans NFL Betting Prediction and Pick
I’m somewhat surprised that this spread is still this narrow heading into Sunday evening, as there is no doubt that the Texans are the vastly superior team on offense. Chicago couldn’t find a way to find the end zone the entire game against Tennessee, as strong play from the defense and special teams unit bailed them out by scoring over half of the Bears total points in Week 1.
It is also pretty evident that the Texans will pose a much tougher matchup on defense than the Titans did last weekend, as Tennessee had one of the worst passing defenses during the 2023-24 regular season. With Caleb Williams being held under 100 passing yards in Week 1, I’m having a hard time seeing how he will improve on his weak passing performance from last weekend in his first start on the road against a tougher secondary.
Against the Spread Betting Market Tip: Texans -6.5
With the spread still hovering just below a full touchdown, laying the points and siding with the home favorite in this matchup seems like an incredibly sharp play. Chicago could easily be 0-1 right now, and they now have to face a Houston offense that should easily rank in the Top 5 league wide by the end of the season.
While the Bears defense looked great against Tennessee and basically single-handedly won Chicago the game last weekend, it is important to remember that the Titans currently have one of the worst offensive rosters in the entire NFL. Relying on your defense to score multiple defensive touchdowns in the same game certainly isn’t a winning formula by any stretch of the imagination. Look for the Texans to jump out to an early lead and never look back in front of a boisterous home crowd on Sunday Night Football – lay the points with confidence.
