The defense carrying the offense is a Bears storyline that goes back to the era of George Halas himself and the 1963 NFL championship season.
The Bears are there already two games into the 2024 season, with Caleb Williams and the offense not even meeting modest expectations with a rookie quarterback — and the defense dominating the second half twice to give the Bears a chance to win.
The Bears held the Texans to 104 yards on 32 plays (3.3 average) in the second half — forcing five punts, one turnover and a field goal in seven possessions. But with Williams under siege, the offense couldn’t take advantage in a 19-13 loss at NRG Stadium.
And as is almost always the case, the defense isn’t worried about having to put the offense on its back. They’re more concerned with starting as well as they finish.
“We just got to make our stops — regardless of what’s going on with special teams or the offense,” safety Jaquan Brisker said. “We’ve got to make more stops to give the offense better field position. We say we’re one of the top defenses, we’ve got to find a way to get three turnovers and make one touchdown. It’s going to take some time. But we’ve got to get on it ASAP.”
Linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and Jack Sanborn and defensive tackle Gervon Dexter had sacks and defensive tackle Andrew Billings forced a fumble that safety Kevin Byard recovered at the Bears’ 3-yard line with the Texans going for a clinching touchdown, leading 19-10 with 6:38 left in the fourth quarter. After a Cairo Santos field goal and a Texans three-and-out, the offense had an improbable chance to win in the final 1:37.
“We didn’t force enough turnovers,” Byard said. “[We] got a timely turnover in the red zone. But when you get on the road, you’ve got to force turnovers against a good offense. We’ve got to continue to assist our offense. They’re working through some things right now and that’s the reality of this league. But nobody’s going to feel sorry for us. We’ve got to find a way to win, just like [the opener].”
Speed bump?
Colts Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner — the prototype 3-technique in Matt Eberflus’ defense with the Colts — might not play against the Bears on Sunday after he sprained his ankle in a 16-10 loss to the Packers on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Packers running back Josh Jacobs had three carries for nine yards when Buckner was on the field Sunday and 29 carries for 142 yards when he was not. Overall, the Packers had 53 carries for 261 yards against the Colts.
Mixon miffed
Texans running back Joe Mixon was not happy after suffering an ankle injury that forced him out of the game early in the third quarter when he was tackled by T.J. Edwards. The league will review the play for a hip-drop tackle infraction — which was supposed to be an emphasis this season but doesn’t seem to be.
Mixon expressed his displeasure in a social-media post Sunday night: “The NFL and NFLPA [the players association] made it a rule and an emphasis for a reason. Time to put your money with your mouth is.”
Dirty pool?
The Bears had a complaint of their own when Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair hit Williams as he was going out of bounds on a scramble in the third quarter. Offensive linemen Teven Jenkins, Darnell Wright and Coleman Shelton and running back Roschon Johnson were among many who challenged Al-Shaair in defense of Williams.
Though the contact might have started when Williams was in bounds, the Bears see that as a violation of the spirit of the play.
“Exactly,” Jenkins said. “There’s little things about football — quarterback gets to the sideline, you know he’s running out [of bounds]. You’re going to hit him? There’s things you have to respond to, because he’s giving himself up and you still hit him.”
himself up and you still hit him.”