Bears vs. Texans Hall of Fame Game Blog: Bears 21, Texans 17 FINAL

Analysis and in-game reporting on the Chicago Bears preseason opener in Canton, Ohio against the Houston Texans.

Roschon Johnson powers ahead in the first half for the Bears in Thursday's Hall of Fame Game against Houston. / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Third Quarter

• Game called. Maybe they could call the other three preseason games now too.

• Ryan Poles joins Warren and Aikman/Buck. Poles sees Caleb Williams as a potential success soon. "The thing is lean on the guys around him," Poles said. There are people to lean on, that's for sure.

• Bears president Kevin Warren tells Troy Aikman and Joe Buck his team is still focused on the lakefront for the stadium even though they are "the biggest land owner in Arlington Heights."

• The way the storm is and the fact it's a stupid preseason game, don't expect them to resume. Reminds me of the Bears getting a couple storms like this in preseason with the Cardinals and Chiefs at Soldier Field where rain stopped them. Had to wade through knee-high water to get to the locker room in the Cardinals game. The final College All-Star Game at Soldier Field between college all stars and Steelers ended due to a storm with the Steelers up 24-0.

• Storm delay. Weather map for Canton does not look promising. Devin Hester in an interview with ABC/ESPN says he'd like to try out this new kickoff rule. His mother will introduce him at the ceremony on Sunday.

• Fourth down and Boyle incompletion as the Bears force a long field goal try of 58 yards by Fairbairn that goes wide right. Austin Booker sighting on the play off the edge. He had a nice rush plan but the play went away from him.

• Dante Pettis can't afford mistakes when he's battling with DeAndre Carter for a roster spot. He muffed a punt and the Texans have it in Bears territory at the 38.

• Looks like the Bears aren't the only team with false start issues. Back-to-back for Texans and the Bears are getting the ball back on a punt as it killed the drive.

• Backed up after a holding, the Texans got out of a hole on a completion by Tim Boyle, former Bears third- or fourth-string QB. He's in now for Texans.

• Undrafted rookie Austin Reed in for the Bears at QB. False startleaves him facing third-and-10 and his dump-off throw to Felton comes up short. Reed played DII ball like Bagent, then transferred to Western Kentucky to finish his career. Strong arm. Needs to work on his accuracy.

• A strip-sack from veteran tackle Byron Cowart that the Texans recovered and then PBU by Leon Jones and it's third-and-26. Matt Nagy once said he had no play call for third-and-30. Texans didn't have one for third-and-26. They'll punt after a dumpoff.

• Rypien 11 of 15, 166 and three TDs. I would say Mr. Bagent has a fight on his hands. He'd better be grinding his face off some more.

• Collin Johnson open again and Rypien puts it in his hands for the third-and-4 TD pass. Still 11:39 left in the third quarter. Bears 21, Texans 17

• Bears first-and-10 at the Texans 14 and new Bears back Demetric Felton scraped off the left side for 6. Felton is pure scatback. He's small, quick and a receiver more than a running back.

• Texans weren't satisfied that this actually was a catch and asked for a review. Officials ruled it incomplete. Not sure what they're looking at, it sure looked good. Either way it didn't matter because Rypien stepped up in the pocket and found Bates for 27 yards. The Rypien line: 10 of 13 157 yards, 2 TDs.

• Another back-shoulder throw to the outside to Collin Johnson. These two hooked up for one beautiful practice play last week just like the one Johnson made twice in the game so far.

• Again an accurate pass in the seam to undrafted rookie Brenden Bates by Rypien and the Bears are in business at the 46 of Houston.

Second Quarter

• Bears secondary allowed 16 of 20 completions in first half.

• Usually the preseason games have been a ton of short passes and mistakes in the first week but the Bears have taken it downfield. Shane Waldron wants to see his offense being executed as it should be by the backups. The intent is to be an offense based on the pass but with ability to do what's necessary.

• Daniel Hardy finally shows up in the run defense with a stuff and the half concludes.

• Big back-shoulder throw to Collin Johnson set up a 22-yard TD pass from Rypien to Tommy Sweeney in a rapid-fire two-minute drill with 46 seconds left. Rypien again showing he has a nice arm. He had made some strides last week with one impressive practice. He and Tyson Bagent listed as even on the depth chart. It wouldn't be surprising if he won the battle for backup considering he had system knowledge from last year with the Seahawks and Rams. Texans 17, Bears 14

• John Jackson, Caleb Williams' college buddy, made a big mistake on the kick return, catching it at the goal line when they could have let it go for a touchback and taken it at the 30.

• A 4-yard TD pass by Keenum to Akers and the Texans pad their lead with 1:44 left. Caught it at the goal line after running a route into the end zone. Again, no real coverage.

• Easy catch by Xavier Hutchinson to the 9 and OB. Bears with little pressure and no one near Hutchinson on the catch. When a team uses so many subs it's difficult to ascertain much but basic execution is important and the Bears haven't done a good job of this on either side.

• Akers with a spinning move in the open field for a 14-yard gain at the TWO-MINUTE WARNING!!!

• Poor tackling and no pass rush by the defense on this drive as Keenum plays catch. Texans at the Bears 42 with 2:49 left in the half.

• Case Keenum in now at QB for Texans and Bears still struggling against the run as Cam Akers plows up the middle for 7 on second-and-7. No interior presence.

• Brett Rypien remains on the field during the next drive. Austin Reed would be the other QB to play. On third-and-5, though, Rypien overthrows Dante Pettis and the Bears have to punt. Pettis could use some bigger plays. He's well down on the depth chart.

• DeAndre Carter pinned back by a 63-yard punt. He manages 8 yards on the return to the 16. His strength is punt returns over kick returns.

• Former 49ers safety Tarvarius Moore with the best Bears tackle of the game, came up in the open field with a real hit and then Leon Jones with a PBU. They force a punt. Defense finally stiffening in the back. Still little pass rush from the subs.

• Easy touchdown pass to 6-foot-6 receiver Collin Johnson by Brett Rypien. Johnson was on the practice squad much of last year. The drive to a TD was sparked by two Khalil Herbert runs up the middle. Seeing Herbert running with the third team in preseason might raise a few eyebrows. Could the Bears be thinking about shopping him? It would be kind of stupid when he has the kind of speed-power combination he does. Texans 10, Bears 7

• Tommy Sweeney gives it away on a hit after he caught one over the middle but backup lineman Jerome Carvin, a first-year player from Tennessee, alertly recovered.

• Another Bears kickoff debacle on the return and they'll start at their 20 following another short Tyler Scott return. The Bears got flagged for moving prior to the ball touching Tyler Scott's hands.

• On third-and-7 at the Bears 19, the Bears brought the blitz with Josh Blackwell out of the slot and Mills has to take a check-down pass to set up a chip shot field goal. Defense played tougher in the red zone after another long drive. Fairbarn connects from 33 yards. Texans 10, Bears 0

First Quarter

• Elijah Hicks, with his second big tackle of the quarter forces a third-and-7 at the Bears 37 on a completion. Hicks has always been a good hitter but being where he needs to be in coverage is the issue. Quarter ends. Texans 7, Bears 0

• A 27-yard completion after Daniel Hardy comes in untouched for an easy sack and misses Davis Mills, who isn't exactly known for being mobile. At the Bears 40 now. The Bears pass rushers who have played have been less than impressive.

• Elijah Hicks with the tackle at the line of scrimmage on first down. The backup safety is battling with a player who isn't here tonight for the third safety spot. That's Jonathan Owens, husband of Simone Biles. Of course, Owens is in Paris watching his gold medal-winning wife in gymnastics.

• Tommy Sweeney called for false start and fourth-and-1 at the Texans 42. False starts have been plaguing the Bears throughout training camp. It's a daily battle and getting tiresome now. Corliss Waitman punts it away.

• Johnson does all he can to get to the line of scrimmage as the blocking caved in on third-and-1.

• Easy pitch and catch for the first down to Stephen Carlson for Tyson Bagent and an end around put the Bears in Texans territory. Johnson's power run up the middle left them facing third-and-1.

• It's too bad Roschon Johnson isn't faster. He has excellent hands and made a nice catch and 7-yard gain on a screen but it was set up well for a 10-to-15-yard gain with a faster back.

• Tyler Scott slips on the kick return just like Amen did on the pas coverage and Bears start at their 26 but Roschon Johnson impressive on two runs for the first down, one up the middle and then toss left. Johnson and Khalil Herbert are locked into the battle for backup back.

• Davis Mills with a TD pass to Teagan Quitoriano burns Bears LB Amen Ogbongbemiga for the TD pass. Amen slipped and fell trying to make his cut up into coverage. No problem for Houston on a 13-play, 74-yard TD drive. Bears just playing back in soft zone the whole way.

• Micah Baskerville's holding penalty keeps the drive alive. Baskerville isn't staying with many backs downfield out of the backfield.

• Texans' drive continues to the 7 and a missed handoff by Mills gives Khalid Kareem the chance to plow the Houston QB into the turf for a loss on second down.

• Jaylon Jones prevents the third-down catch from behind a first down but the Texans easily convert a fourth-and-1 and are moving at the Bears 37.

• Davis Mills can't connect on a second-and-7 easy bootleg pass and Bears defense has the edge here.

• Run defense at tackle looked suspect on the Texans' second down run for a first down. Zacch Pickens and Byron Cowart at the tackles for the Bears on the play.

• Bears with Cairo Santos kicking off. Safety Quindell Johnson with the first tackle on the new kickoff rule and pinned the Texans back at their 26.

Pregame

• Steve McMichael will receive his gold jacket and bust at his home Saturday in south suburban Homer Glen from Hall of Fame president Jim Porter at a special ceremony. In attendance will be his family and former Bears teammates Richard Dent and Jimbo Covert. Walter Payton's son Jarrett will be the presenter in Canton. McMichael's wife, Misty, was introduced prior to the Hall of Fame game, as were Devin Hester and former Panthers-Bears-Packers defensive end Julius Peppers.

I came by the @ProFootballHOF to see the 🐐. @walterpayton #Bears pic.twitter.com/HyCS6U2wR0

— Jarrett Payton (@paytonsun) August 1, 2024

• The Bears met at the Hall of Fame with Hester and other past team members of the Hall of Fame and got a tour. You have to wonder how Hester would have fared with these new kick return rules where the return man gets a good, running start on kicks not in the end zone and touchbacks go to the 30.

Thanks for showing us around your new home, @D_Hest23 pic.twitter.com/9v1Ke0dbeK

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 1, 2024

• Caleb Williams is obviously not playing today but is never far from the tip of the tongue for talk shows. He was apparently the subject on The Carton Show, which is rarely a good thing.

"He's Russell Wilson 2.0. This is not gonna go over well."

— @AmaniAToomer sounds OFF on Caleb Williams telling teammates to clean up locker room pic.twitter.com/25IhwWzV0C

— The Carton Show (@TheCartonShow) August 1, 2024

• Tarik Cohen told the Jets he is retiring after he tried to make another comeback at the age of 29, according to a report by ESPN's Adam Schefter. Such a sad story considering he was at the peak of his career, just got a contract extension from the Bears and then has his career ended for all intents and purposes by getting hit on a fair catch. No penalty even called on the fair catch, either.

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