Grading the Bears
Quarterback: DJustin Fields still has a long, long way to go to prove he's capable of leading an NFL team. And he knows it. "I was terrible," said Fields, who was 8-of-17 passing for 106 yards with 2 interceptions against the Texans. The worst part is his continued inaccuracy and inability to spot and/or throw to open receivers. Cole Kmet should have had 4-6 catches for 70-80 yards, but Fields didn't spot the big TE on numerous occasions.
Running backs: A+Kahlil Herbert (20 carries for 157 yards) and Trestan Ebner (7-23) combined for 180 of the Bears' 281 yards on the ground. It doesn't get much better than that.
Receivers: D+Darnell Mooney caught just 2 passes for 23 yards, and he dropped a simple WR screen in the second half. Cole Kmet probably deserves a B for getting open so often, but his stats (2 catches, 40 yards) were muted because Justin Fields didn't throw his way often enough.
Offensive line: B+The pass protection needs to improve, but when your running backs average 6.4 yards per carry you're doing something right. A solid effort by this group.
Defensive line: DThe front four got next to no pressure on Texans QB David Mills and allowed RB Dameon Pierce into the second level far too often. The bright spots were Angelo Blackson tipping the ball that led to Roquan Smith's fourth-quarter interception, and a sack by Justin Jones.
Linebackers: A-Roquan Smith led an inspired second-half with 16 tackles (2 for a loss), and his interception allowed the Bears to walk out with a victory they probably didn't deserve. Nicholas Morrow (6 tackles) also made a big play early in the fourth quarter when he buried TE Pharaoh Brown for a 5-yard loss on third-and-14 from the Bears' 43-yard line. If that play picks up 10 yards, the Texans might take the lead with a field goal.
Secondary: B+Kindle Vildor's tipped pass on the goal line led to a huge interception by Eddie Jackson late in the first quarter. It allowed the Bears to maintain a 10-7 lead. Houston did manage some big plays (52, 30, 25, 22 yards) in the passing game, but overall this unit was pretty strong.
Special teams: A-Cairo Santos booted field goals of 47, 50 and 30 yards, and Trenton Gill averaged 45.5 yards on 4 punts. The only blemish was a 31-yard punt return by the Texans.
Coaching: CThere were a lot of questionable decisions made in the first half - so many that it makes you question if this staff has got what it takes to succeed long term. Still, the defensive adjustments made in the second half allowed the Bears to escape with a victory.