Chicago Bears vs. Houston Texans: 2008 Week 17 Recap

Game story

In Week 17 of the 2008 NFL season on 2008-12-28, the Houston Texans took care of business against the Chicago Bears, pulling away with a 31–24 final that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.

The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 17 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.

K. Orton (Chicago Bears) paced the passing game, with +4.96 total EPA, and -3.1% completion percentage over expected.

On the individual side, A. Johnson (Houston Texans) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +14.62 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.

The momentum swing (-15.2% win probability) landed in the second quarter when Chicago Bears changed the game: 3-K.Brown kicks 68 yards from HOU 30 to CHI 2. 38-D.Manning to CHI 33 for 31 yards (21-R.Moats). FUMBLES (21-R.Moats), RECOVERED by HOU-3-K.Brown at CHI 38.

Line score

Final score and points by quarter.

Stars of the game

Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.

1. 1 A. Johnson · Houston Texans · Receiving · +14.62 total EPA · 10 snaps · +1.46 EPA/play
2. 2 M. Schaub · Houston Texans · Passing · +12.51 total EPA · 37 snaps · +0.34 EPA/play
3. 3 D. Hester · Chicago Bears · Receiving · +7.72 total EPA · 6 snaps · +1.29 EPA/play
4. 4 A. Davis · Houston Texans · Receiving · +6.27 total EPA · 3 snaps · +2.09 EPA/play
5. 5 K. Orton · Chicago Bears · Passing · +4.96 total EPA · 39 snaps · +0.13 EPA/play
6. 6 K. Orton · Chicago Bears · Rushing · +3.24 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.62 EPA/play
7. 7 A. Peterson · Chicago Bears · Receiving · +3.08 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.54 EPA/play
8. 8 G. Olsen · Chicago Bears · Receiving · +2.96 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.74 EPA/play

Player of the game

FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.

Who scored touchdowns and field goals

Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.

Touchdowns

• Chicago Bears — B. Lloyd (K. Orton pass) (Q1 51:02)
• Houston Texans — A. Johnson (M. Schaub pass) (Q2 35:59)
• Houston Texans — A. Johnson (M. Schaub pass) (Q2 32:00)
• Houston Texans — R. Moats (Q3 23:34)
• Chicago Bears — G. Olsen (K. Orton pass) (Q3 20:36)
• Houston Texans — S. Slaton (Q4 3:28)
• Chicago Bears — K. Orton (Q4 1:34)

Field goals

• Chicago Bears — R. Gould (Q1 48:34)
• Houston Texans — K. Brown (Q4 11:58)

How it unfolded, quarter by quarter

A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.

The opening quarter: Chicago Bears won the period 10–0. Chicago Bears found the end zone from the HOU 4 (Q1 51:02) — (6:02) 18-K.Orton pass short left to 80-B.Lloyd for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Chicago Bears added 1 points from the HOU 2 (Q1 50:57) — 9-R.Gould extra point is GOOD, Center-65-P.Mannelly, Holder-4-B.Maynard.; Chicago Bears connected on a field goal from the HOU 19 (Q1 48:34) — (3:34) 9-R.Gould 37 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-65-P.Mannelly, Holder-4-B.Maynard..

The second quarter: Houston Texans won the period 14–0. Houston Texans found the end zone from the CHI 43 (Q2 35:59) — (5:59) 8-M.Schaub pass deep left to 80-A.Johnson for 43 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans added 1 points from the CHI 2 (Q2 35:50) — 3-K.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-82-C.Harris, Holder-1-M.Turk.; Houston Texans found the end zone from the CHI 3 (Q2 32:00) — (2:00) 8-M.Schaub pass short left to 80-A.Johnson for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans added 1 points from the CHI 2 (Q2 31:54) — 3-K.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-82-C.Harris, Holder-1-M.Turk..

The third quarter: The quarter finished even at 7–7. Houston Texans found the end zone from the CHI 2 (Q3 23:34) — (8:34) 21-R.Moats left guard for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans added 1 points from the CHI 2 (Q3 23:30) — 3-K.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-82-C.Harris, Holder-1-M.Turk.; Chicago Bears found the end zone from the HOU 1 (Q3 20:36) — (5:36) 18-K.Orton pass short left to 82-G.Olsen for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Chicago Bears added 1 points from the HOU 2 (Q3 20:30) — 9-R.Gould extra point is GOOD, Center-65-P.Mannelly, Holder-4-B.Maynard..

The fourth quarter: Houston Texans won the period 10–7. Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the CHI 4 (Q4 11:58) — (11:58) 3-K.Brown 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-82-C.Harris, Holder-1-M.Turk.; Houston Texans found the end zone from the CHI 2 (Q4 3:28) — (3:28) 20-S.Slaton up the middle for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans added 1 points from the CHI 2 (Q4 3:24) — 3-K.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-82-C.Harris, Holder-1-M.Turk.; Chicago Bears found the end zone from the HOU 1 (Q4 1:34) — (1:34) 18-K.Orton up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Chicago Bears added 1 points from the HOU 2 (Q4 1:31) — 9-R.Gould extra point is GOOD, Center-65-P.Mannelly, Holder-4-B.Maynard..

Turning points

Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.

• Chicago Bears (Q2 35:50) — 3-K.Brown kicks 68 yards from HOU 30 to CHI 2. 38-D.Manning to CHI 33 for 31 yards (21-R.Moats). FUMBLES (21-R.Moats), RECOVERED by HOU-3-K.Brown at CHI 38. [WPA -15.2% · EPA -4.08]
• Houston Texans (Q1 50:15) — (5:15) 8-M.Schaub pass short left to 20-S.Slaton to HOU 48 for 6 yards (33-C.Tillman). FUMBLES (33-C.Tillman), RECOVERED by CHI-96-A.Brown at CHI 44. 96-A.Brown to HOU 38 for 18 yards (76-D.Brown). [WPA -11.4% · EPA -5.17]
• Chicago Bears (Q1 52:48) — (7:48) (Shotgun) 18-K.Orton pass short middle to 23-D.Hester to HOU 33 for 15 yards (32-F.Bennett). PENALTY on HOU-93-T.Bulman, Roughing the Passer, 15 yards, enforced at HOU 33. [WPA +11.2% · EPA +3.51]
• Houston Texans (Q2 35:59) — (5:59) 8-M.Schaub pass deep left to 80-A.Johnson for 43 yards, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA +8.5% · EPA +3.90]
• Houston Texans (Q2 33:36) — (3:36) 8-M.Schaub pass short right to 11-A.Davis pushed ob at CHI 10 for 16 yards (33-C.Tillman). [WPA +8.3% · EPA +1.95]

Impact plays

Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.

• Houston Texans (Q1 50:15) — (5:15) 8-M.Schaub pass short left to 20-S.Slaton to HOU 48 for 6 yards (33-C.Tillman). FUMBLES (33-C.Tillman), RECOVERED by CHI-96-A.Brown at CHI 44. 96-A.Brown to HOU 38 for 18 yards (76-D.Brown). [WPA -11.4% · EPA -5.17]
• Chicago Bears (Q2 35:50) — 3-K.Brown kicks 68 yards from HOU 30 to CHI 2. 38-D.Manning to CHI 33 for 31 yards (21-R.Moats). FUMBLES (21-R.Moats), RECOVERED by HOU-3-K.Brown at CHI 38. [WPA -15.2% · EPA -4.08]
• Houston Texans (Q2 35:59) — (5:59) 8-M.Schaub pass deep left to 80-A.Johnson for 43 yards, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA +8.5% · EPA +3.90]
• Chicago Bears (Q3 21:21) — (6:21) 18-K.Orton pass deep middle to 23-D.Hester to HOU 1 for 37 yards (26-E.Wilson). [WPA +7.8% · EPA +3.58]

Quarterback report card

K.Orton led all passers in efficiency for Chicago Bears, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.

• K.Orton (Chicago Bears) · 39 dropbacks · 56.4% completion · -3.1% CPOE · +0.13 EPA/play · +4.96 total EPA
• M.Schaub (Houston Texans) · 37 dropbacks · 73.0% completion · +9.9% CPOE · +0.34 EPA/play · +12.51 total EPA

Team stats comparison

Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.

By the numbers

Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (Chicago Bears +0.08, Houston Texans +0.12) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.

• Chicago Bears: 11 drives, +6.07 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
• Houston Texans: 12 drives, +11.06 total EPA, 5 scoring drives

Key takeaways

What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.

• Houston Texans leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
• One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
• A. Johnson (Houston Texans) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
• K. Orton (CHI) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
• M. Schaub (HOU) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.

Every scoring play

Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.

1. Chicago Bears TD (+6) — Q1 51:02 · HOU 4 · Score 6-0
   (6:02) 18-K.Orton pass short left to 80-B.Lloyd for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
2. Chicago Bears XP (+1) — Q1 50:57 · HOU 2 · Score 7-0
   9-R.Gould extra point is GOOD, Center-65-P.Mannelly, Holder-4-B.Maynard.
3. Chicago Bears FG (+3) — Q1 48:34 · HOU 19 · Score 10-0
   (3:34) 9-R.Gould 37 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-65-P.Mannelly, Holder-4-B.Maynard.
4. Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q2 35:59 · CHI 43 · Score 10-6
   (5:59) 8-M.Schaub pass deep left to 80-A.Johnson for 43 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
5. Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q2 35:50 · CHI 2 · Score 10-7
   3-K.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-82-C.Harris, Holder-1-M.Turk.
6. Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q2 32:00 · CHI 3 · Score 10-13
   (2:00) 8-M.Schaub pass short left to 80-A.Johnson for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
7. Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q2 31:54 · CHI 2 · Score 10-14
   3-K.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-82-C.Harris, Holder-1-M.Turk.
8. Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q3 23:34 · CHI 2 · Score 10-20
   (8:34) 21-R.Moats left guard for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
9. Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q3 23:30 · CHI 2 · Score 10-21
   3-K.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-82-C.Harris, Holder-1-M.Turk.
10. Chicago Bears TD (+6) — Q3 20:36 · HOU 1 · Score 16-21
    (5:36) 18-K.Orton pass short left to 82-G.Olsen for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
11. Chicago Bears XP (+1) — Q3 20:30 · HOU 2 · Score 17-21
    9-R.Gould extra point is GOOD, Center-65-P.Mannelly, Holder-4-B.Maynard.
12. Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q4 11:58 · CHI 4 · Score 17-24
    (11:58) 3-K.Brown 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-82-C.Harris, Holder-1-M.Turk.
13. Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q4 3:28 · CHI 2 · Score 17-30
    (3:28) 20-S.Slaton up the middle for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
14. Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q4 3:24 · CHI 2 · Score 17-31
    3-K.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-82-C.Harris, Holder-1-M.Turk.
15. Chicago Bears TD (+6) — Q4 1:34 · HOU 1 · Score 23-31
    (1:34) 18-K.Orton up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
16. Chicago Bears XP (+1) — Q4 1:31 · HOU 2 · Score 24-31
    9-R.Gould extra point is GOOD, Center-65-P.Mannelly, Holder-4-B.Maynard.