The Chicago Bears return home to Soldier Field for their Week 3 matchup against the Houston Texans. The Texans are the first AFC opponent the Bears will face this year and they’re still looking for their first win, entering the week 0-1-1.
Many of the storylines will focus on current Texans and former Bears head coach Lovie Smith coming back home to Chicago, but Houston has a few players that will worth watching as well. Here are five players we’re keeping an eye on heading into this weekend’s matchup.
1. QB Davis Mills
Davis Mills is pretty much known for being the forgotten member of the 2021 NFL Draft quarterback class. Mills was selected by the Texans in the third round out of Stanford. He started the majority of the games for the Texans in 2021 after starter Tyrod Taylor went down with an injury and finished the year with a respectable stat line of 2,664 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Mills has had his moments, both good and bad, during his sophomore season as the Texans look to see if he can be a viable quarterback for the longhaul. The Texans will likely be focusing on their ground game this weekend, but Mills will look to upstage Justin Fields on his home turf when he gets the chances to pass.
2. RB Dameon Pierce
The fantasy football darling of the preseason, Dameon Pierce hasn’t yet had the strong season many pundits were predicting back in August. Pierce was drafted by the Texans in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Florida and was on the fast track towards becoming a strong option out of the backfield. The start has been slow for the rookie, but he’s picking up steam after Week 2. Pierce had 15 carries for 69 yards, improving on his performance the week prior. Facing a struggling Bears run defense, Pierce could be in for a huge day. He’s someone the Bears must focus on stopping to control the time of possession, as well as win the game.
3. WR Brandin Cooks
One of the more underrated receivers in the NFL, Brandin Cooks is the unquestioned top pass catcher in Houston. Cooks has spent nearly a decade in the league and is almost guaranteed to post 1,000 yards and 5-6 touchdowns each season. The Texans will most likely try and target Bears rookie cornerback Kyler Gordon in the passing game, like Green Bay did last weekend. Expect Cooks to be the primary receiver to line up against him and though he’s not elite, he’s capable of having a big game if things break right for Houston.
4 and 5. DE Jonathan Greenard and Jerry Hughes
The Texans haven’t been the best when it comes to getting after the quarterback over the last year or so, but that could change with young defensive end Jonathan Greenard and veteran Jerry Hughes. Greenard is a popular candidate to breakout for Houston at 25 years old and he’s had a solid start to the season. He has five total tackles, including three for a loss, and one sack. Hughes, meanwhile, has spent over 12 years in the league and came over from Buffalo this offseason. He’s made a great first impression, posting two sacks and an interception in Week One. Both players will be tasked with getting after Fields and giving the Bears young tackles plenty of fits.
5. CB Derek Stingley Jr.
Like the Bears, the Texans focused on revamping their secondary early in the 2022 NFL Draft. Their top selection was star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. out of LSU and he’s going through a similar learning curve like the Bears top pick, Gordon. Stingley was picked on by Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton last week, who had seven catches for 122 yards. Stingley has been busy through two weeks, registering 15 total tackles and three pass deflections. Should the Bears open up their passing attack this week, Stingley will likely be targeted early and often.
