The Houston Texans took care of business at home against the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football. It was not the cleanest of performances as Houston moved to 2-0 on the season. That was especially true during an ugly third quarter of action between the two teams.
However, Houston did enough to come out on top by the score of 19-13. That included picking off Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams on consecutive possessions in the second half to pretty much put the game away. Here, we look at five winners and losers from this NFL Week 2 game.
Winner: Derek Stingley Jr., Houston Texans
This Houston Texans star had five interceptions and yielded a mere 56.8 QB rating when targeted a season ago. He duplicated this dominance Sunday against D.J. Moore and the Bears. That included picking off Caleb Williams in the third quarter with Houston up by just six points. The team would score a field goal to take a two-score advantage. It’s key plays like this that have defined Stingley’s career since Houston made the LSU product the No. 3 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Related: Houston Texans standing in Sportsnaut’s NFL defense rankings
Loser: D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
The Bears need balance on offense if Caleb Williams is going to perform at a high level as a rookie. In no way, did that come close to happening against Houston Sunday night. The Pro Bowler recorded a mere 18 yards on 14 attempts. Sure, the Bears’ offensive line was a disaster class in this one. But Swift did not do his part as the Bears dropped to 1-1.
Read more: Chicago Bears standing in Sportsnaut’s NFL offense rankings
Winner: Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans
Will Anderson Jr. is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year for a reason. The Alabama product has been dominant throughout his career. That was on full display Sunday night as Houston’s defense hit Williams 11 times and sacked him a total of seven times. Anderson Jr. anchored this unit by recording two QB hits and 1.5 sacks in the win. Couple him with free agent signing Danielle Hunter, and the Texans pass rush is absolutely elite.
Related: Updated NFL power rankings
Loser: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Yes. Caleb Williams was under pressure throughout Sunday’s game. Though, a lot of that came as he attempted to lead the team back from a two-score deficit in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, he was a mistake waiting to happen in the rookie No. 1 pick’s first regular-season road start. That included throwing interceptions on consecutive drives in the third quarter. Williams also missed multiple wide open receivers as he attempted to scramble with the pocket collapsing. It’s a learning curve for the former USC star. That’s for sure. Sunday night’s performance is just the latest example.
Read more: Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams standing in Sportsnaut’s NFL QB rankings
Winner: Nico Collins, Houston Texans
Nico Collins is absolutely a stud. Last season saw the former third-round pick from Michigan record 80 receptions for 1,297 yards. It led to a lucrative long-term extension during the spring. Collins then brought in the seaseon opener against Indianapolis, recording six catches for 118 yards. He was even better Sunday night. Collins caught 8-of-10 targets for 135 yards and a touchdown in the narrow win. There is no question about it, Collins is a WR1 in today’s NFL.