Chicago Bears vs. Houston Texans: 2016 Week 1 Recap

Game story

In Week 1 of the 2016 NFL season on 2016-09-11, the Houston Texans took care of business against the Chicago Bears, pulling away with a 23–14 final that built a comfortable lead.

The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 17 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.

B. Osweiler (Houston Texans) paced the passing game, with +5.16 total EPA, and +2.4% completion percentage over expected.

On the individual side, W. Fuller (Houston Texans) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +6.89 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.

The momentum swing (+14.2% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when Houston Texans changed the game: (12:49) (Shotgun) 17-B.Osweiler pass short left to 15-W.Fuller for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

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 W. Fuller · Houston Texans · Receiving · +6.89 total EPA · 11 snaps · +0.63 EPA/play
2. 2 E. Royal · Chicago Bears · Receiving · +6.49 total EPA · 6 snaps · +1.08 EPA/play
3. 3 B. Osweiler · Houston Texans · Passing · +5.16 total EPA · 39 snaps · +0.13 EPA/play
4. 4 A. Jeffery · Chicago Bears · Receiving · +3.48 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.58 EPA/play
5. 5 S. Anderson · Houston Texans · Receiving · +2.31 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.77 EPA/play
6. 6 R. Griffin · Houston Texans · Receiving · +1.14 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.57 EPA/play
7. 7 Z. Miller · Chicago Bears · Receiving · +0.79 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.20 EPA/play
8. 8 J. Prosch · Houston Texans · Rushing · +0.38 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.38 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 — J. Langford (Q1 52:05)
• Houston Texans — D. Hopkins (B. Osweiler pass) (Q2 33:21)
• Chicago Bears — E. Royal (J. Cutler pass) (Q2 30:13)
• Houston Texans — W. Fuller (B. Osweiler pass) (Q4 12:49)

Field goals

• Houston Texans — N. Novak (Q2 41:28)
• Houston Texans — N. Novak (Q3 27:20)
• Houston Texans — N. Novak (Q4 6:14)

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 7–0. Chicago Bears found the end zone from the HOU 1 (Q1 52:05) — (7:05) 33-J.Langford right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Chicago Bears added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q1 51:58) — 4-C.Barth extra point is GOOD, Center-48-P.Scales, Holder-16-P.O'Donnell..

The second quarter: Houston Texans won the period 10–7. Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the CHI 10 (Q2 41:28) — (11:28) 8-N.Novak 28 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler.; Houston Texans found the end zone from the CHI 23 (Q2 33:21) — (3:21) 17-B.Osweiler pass deep left to 10-D.Hopkins for 23 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans added 1 points from the CHI 15 (Q2 33:14) — 8-N.Novak extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler.; Chicago Bears found the end zone from the HOU 19 (Q2 30:13) — (:13) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler pass deep middle to 19-E.Royal for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Chicago Bears added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q2 30:07) — 4-C.Barth extra point is GOOD, Center-48-P.Scales, Holder-16-P.O'Donnell..

The third quarter: Houston Texans won the period 3–0. Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the CHI 10 (Q3 27:20) — (12:20) 8-N.Novak 28 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler. (The ball was tipped by 27).

The fourth quarter: Houston Texans won the period 10–0. Houston Texans found the end zone from the CHI 18 (Q4 12:49) — (12:49) (Shotgun) 17-B.Osweiler pass short left to 15-W.Fuller for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans added 1 points from the CHI 15 (Q4 12:44) — 8-N.Novak extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler.; Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the CHI 20 (Q4 6:14) — (6:14) 8-N.Novak 38 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler..

Turning points

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

• Houston Texans (Q4 12:49) — (12:49) (Shotgun) 17-B.Osweiler pass short left to 15-W.Fuller for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA +14.2% · EPA +3.21]
• Chicago Bears (Q2 30:24) — (:24) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler pass deep right to 17-A.Jeffery to HOU 19 for 54 yards (29-A.Hal). [WPA +14.1% · EPA +2.28]
• Chicago Bears (Q3 29:17) — (14:17) 6-J.Cutler pass short right intended for 13-K.White INTERCEPTED by 29-A.Hal at CHI 37. 29-A.Hal pushed ob at CHI 25 for 12 yards (82-L.Paulsen). [WPA -12.6% · EPA -4.65]
• Houston Texans (Q3 16:15) — (1:15) (Shotgun) 17-B.Osweiler pass short left to 15-W.Fuller to CHI 31 for 27 yards (59-D.Trevathan; 99-L.Houston). [WPA +11.2% · EPA +2.59]
• Houston Texans (Q1 56:37) — (11:37) 17-B.Osweiler pass short left intended for 10-D.Hopkins INTERCEPTED by 21-T.Porter at CHI 22. 21-T.Porter pushed ob at CHI 25 for 3 yards (10-D.Hopkins). [WPA -11.1% · EPA -4.35]

Impact plays

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

• Chicago Bears (Q3 29:17) — (14:17) 6-J.Cutler pass short right intended for 13-K.White INTERCEPTED by 29-A.Hal at CHI 37. 29-A.Hal pushed ob at CHI 25 for 12 yards (82-L.Paulsen). [WPA -12.6% · EPA -4.65]
• Chicago Bears (Q2 30:13) — (:13) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler pass deep middle to 19-E.Royal for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA +10.5% · EPA +4.47]
• Houston Texans (Q1 56:37) — (11:37) 17-B.Osweiler pass short left intended for 10-D.Hopkins INTERCEPTED by 21-T.Porter at CHI 22. 21-T.Porter pushed ob at CHI 25 for 3 yards (10-D.Hopkins). [WPA -11.1% · EPA -4.35]
• Chicago Bears (Q1 47:49) — (2:49) 6-J.Cutler FUMBLES (Aborted) at HOU 31, and recovers at HOU 31. 6-J.Cutler to HOU 31 for no gain (55-B.McKinney). [WPA -7.1% · EPA -4.17]

Quarterback report card

B.Osweiler led all passers in efficiency for Houston Texans, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.

• B.Osweiler (Houston Texans) · 39 dropbacks · 56.4% completion · +2.4% CPOE · +0.13 EPA/play · +5.16 total EPA
• J.Cutler (Chicago Bears) · 37 dropbacks · 43.2% completion · -1.2% CPOE · -0.11 EPA/play · -3.90 total EPA

Team stats comparison

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

By the numbers

Houston Texans held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (-0.04 vs -0.21), even if the scoreboard told a different story.

• Chicago Bears: 12 drives, -15.06 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
• Houston Texans: 13 drives, -3.43 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.
• W. Fuller (Houston Texans) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.

Every scoring play

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

1. Chicago Bears TD (+6) — Q1 52:05 · HOU 1 · Score 6-0
   (7:05) 33-J.Langford right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
2. Chicago Bears XP (+1) — Q1 51:58 · HOU 15 · Score 7-0
   4-C.Barth extra point is GOOD, Center-48-P.Scales, Holder-16-P.O'Donnell.
3. Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q2 41:28 · CHI 10 · Score 7-3
   (11:28) 8-N.Novak 28 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler.
4. Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q2 33:21 · CHI 23 · Score 7-9
   (3:21) 17-B.Osweiler pass deep left to 10-D.Hopkins for 23 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
5. Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q2 33:14 · CHI 15 · Score 7-10
   8-N.Novak extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler.
6. Chicago Bears TD (+6) — Q2 30:13 · HOU 19 · Score 13-10
   (:13) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler pass deep middle to 19-E.Royal for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
7. Chicago Bears XP (+1) — Q2 30:07 · HOU 15 · Score 14-10
   4-C.Barth extra point is GOOD, Center-48-P.Scales, Holder-16-P.O'Donnell.
8. Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q3 27:20 · CHI 10 · Score 14-13
   (12:20) 8-N.Novak 28 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler. (The ball was tipped by 27)
9. Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q4 12:49 · CHI 18 · Score 14-19
   (12:49) (Shotgun) 17-B.Osweiler pass short left to 15-W.Fuller for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
10. Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q4 12:44 · CHI 15 · Score 14-20
    8-N.Novak extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler.
11. Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q4 6:14 · CHI 20 · Score 14-23
    (6:14) 8-N.Novak 38 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler.