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Bears set for early season test with tough Sunday Night Football road game

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Andrew Prouse | Last updated 5/15/24

The Chicago Bears will see their first major test of the 2024 season under the hostile road lights of Sunday Night Football

The first big test of the Caleb Williams era of Chicago Bears football lands on Sunday night football. The Bears week two matchup will be their first prime-time game of the season. The Bears will travel to Houston to take on the Texans.

The Texans were the upstart team in 2023, vastly exceeding expectations. That was largely thanks to CJ Stroud. Stroud put on an excellent rookie campaign, one that saw him lead the Texans to the playoffs. Stroud also earned Rookie of the Year honors.

The Chicago Bears have been compared to the Texans in post-draft discussions. One NFL analyst even suggested that the Bears will be this year’s Houston Texans. Meaning the team that shocks everyone and exceeds expectations.

Week two could be Caleb Williams’ first quarterback duel

In 2023, CJ Stroud showed the NFL that he is a pass first quarterback. He can take off and run for first downs if necessary. However, the tape shows Stroud’s priorities clearly lie in passing. This means Caleb Williams will have a chance early in his NFL career to start building a legacy.

The Texans got better in the offseason, so this game should be a good challenge for Williams and the Chicago Bears. The addition of Stefon Diggs, on top of a healthy Tank Dell, should test the Bears pass defense.

This game has the chance to be a high scoring game. Williams could show everyone that he was a good pick for the Chicago Bears, even if they don’t win.

A close game with the Texans could be viewed as a win for this Bears team. The Bears have struggled to compete with the NFL’s best teams in the last few years. If Bears vs Texans ends in a one score victory for Houston, that is something positive.

CJ Stroud looked like an elite QB in his rookie season. If Caleb Williams can match Stroud and help the Bears win, that would be massive. Beating the Texans would provide a jolt of confidence to this team that could fuel them for the rest of the year.

Week two could be a preview of the next great QB rivalry. CJ Stroud vs Caleb Williams could be the next Brady vs Manning. Only time will tell.

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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