Pagano: Watson an elite player
5 things to watch for as the Bears host the Texans
The Chicago Bears and Houston Texans will meet Sunday at Soldier Field with the Bears looking to snap their six-game losing streak. Last week’s 34-30 home loss to the Detroit Lions raised new questions about the defense’s effectiveness and diminished the satisfaction in what Matt Nagy called the offense’s best performance of the season “by far.” As the Bears march into Week 14, here’s a snapshot look at Sunday’s game.
Player in the spotlight:
Nothing will change the fact the Bears drafted Mitch Trubisky second overall in 2017 instead of Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson, who comes to Soldier Field for the first time Sunday with 13,258 passing yards, 1,564 rushing yards, 95 touchdown passes and 17 rushing touchdowns in four seasons.
But it certainly would help make Sunday more bearable for Bears fans — and probably general manager Ryan Pace — if the defense upped its game after two straight poor performances.
The Bears defense gave up a combined 613 passing yards and seven touchdown passes against Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. Now the Bears face a new challenge in Watson, who has thrown for 3,542 yards and 24 touchdowns, has a sparkling 110 passer rating and has rushed for 331 yards and three touchdowns this season.
Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano called Watson a “top two or three player in this league” and raved about his ability to create when a play breaks down.
“It’s the play within the play,” Pagano said. “Because you’ve got to defend the first part of the play, and then when it starts to extend, where it’s an RPO or whatever, it’s the next play, the scramble play, the plaster play. And right when you think you’ve got him dead to rights in the pocket and you’re hanging on him and you think you’ve got him sacked, you don’t. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s athletic, and you guys have seen him step out of harm’s way multiple times.”
Added defensive end Akiem Hicks: “Let’s be real. He’s a talented quarterback. He can beat you in a multitude of ways. Our job is to eliminate the things he does well. That’s my perspective (and my goal) as a defender — take away the things you really love and play from there.”
Have the Bears finally settled on a reliable offensive line?
The Bears have used six starting offensive line combinations this season because of injuries, bouts with COVID-19 and poor play.
So it’s no small thing the Bears are expected to play their third consecutive game with Charles Leno at left tackle, Cody Whitehair at left guard, Sam Mustipher at center, Alex Bars at right guard and Germain Ifedi at right tackle.
Coach Matt Nagy and offensive coordinator Bill Lazor stressed the role continuity on the line has played in helping the offense take steps forward recently. Leno and Ifedi had costly missteps on late plays against the Lions. But the Bears also rushed for 140 yards and for just the second time this season scored 30 points. Mitch Trubisky was sacked only twice.
“We’ve just been working
really well together,” Leno said. “The communication has been really good. We’ve just been focusing on getting better. We’re putting some good things out there on tape, but we’ve got to finish. That’s one thing that we definitely are motivated to do in the next game.”
The Texans defense ranks 31st with 150.9 rushing yards allowed per game and 4.86 rushing yards allowed per play, providing an opportunity for the Bears to get their ground game going again. But the offensive line will have to be on guard against a Texans pass rush that has 28 sacks.
Keep an eye on the Bears’ offensive aggressiveness:
The Texans have a league-low eight takeaways, including only three interceptions. That should give Mitch Trubisky and the offense the greenlight to
take some chances in the passing game with reduced fears of turning the ball over.
“We’re always going to look to get shots when we can,” coach Matt Nagy said Friday. “But again, with this defense that we’re seeing, the one thing that they do is they get pressure on you. They eat you up and they’ve got guys on that front line that can get after you. So we just want to make sure that when there are times that present us with shots, we make them count.”
Naturally, the Bears will have to find ways to contain Texans star defensive end J.J. Watt, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year who leads the team with five sacks and has one of those three interceptions. Watt’s production this season hasn’t been eye-popping by any means. But Bears left tackle Charles
Leno acknowledged that the offensive line knows what it’s up against.
“Man, that guy brings it every single play,” Leno said. “You know what you’re going to get out of (No.) 99. He’s going to bring it no matter what the situation. And I still think he can still bat down balls and get picks because I’ve seen it on tape.”
Odds and ends: Veteran tight end Jimmy Graham has been tabbed as the Bears’ nominee for the 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, an honor that will be presented to the winner during Super Bowl weekend in February.
The award recognizes one player for production on the field and excellence in the community with philanthropic efforts. Graham, who has his pilot’s license, is the co-chairman of the EAA
Young Eagles, a charity that offers youths their first airplane flight and introduces them to aviation. In addition, the Jimmy Graham Foundation recognizes the accomplishments and sacrifices of military veterans while also offering flights to underprivileged youth.
Graham said he was elated earlier this week when he learned of his nomination.
“The surprise of it was pretty incredible,” he said, “finding out in front of the team right next to the Walter Payton Center and knowing how near and dear that is to this city, this team and the NFL because of all that Walter Payton did for so many people. For me it was kind of a surreal moment.”
Graham, who joined the Bears via free agency in March, has contributed to the offense with 38 catches, 334 yards and five touchdowns.
I nj ur y update: Khalil Mack returned to practice Friday as a limited participant and is officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury. The expectation is Mack will play.
Cornerback Buster Skrine, meanwhile, remains in concussion protocol and is out for Sunday. So, too, is edge rusher James Vaughters (knee). Rookie receiver Darnell Mooney missed his third consecutive practice Friday because of personal reasons, but Nagy said he expects Mooney to be available Sunday.
The Texans placed running back David Johnson on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and he will not play Sunday. Tight end Pharaoh Brown (concussion) also is out.
Seven Texans players are listed as questionable, most notably receiver Brandin Cooks (foot/neck) and cornerback Phillip Gaines (knee/shoulder).