Chicago Bears vs. Houston Texans: 2024 Week 2 Recap

Game story

In Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season on 2024-09-15, the Houston Texans took care of business against the Chicago Bears, pulling away with a 19–13 final that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.

The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 20 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.

C. Williams (Chicago Bears) paced the passing game, with -11.56 total EPA, and -1.3% completion percentage over expected.

On the individual side, N. Collins (Houston Texans) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +8.56 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.

The momentum swing (+12.4% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Houston Texans changed the game: (1:40) 7-C.Stroud pass short right to 87-C.Stover pushed ob at CHI 32 for 18 yards (49-T.Edmunds).

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 N. Collins · Houston Texans · Receiving · +8.56 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.86 EPA/play
2. 2 K. Herbert · Chicago Bears · Rushing · +4.35 total EPA · 2 snaps · +2.18 EPA/play
3. 3 C. Stover · Houston Texans · Receiving · +3.17 total EPA · 1 snaps · +3.17 EPA/play
4. 4 D. Carter · Chicago Bears · Receiving · +2.03 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.51 EPA/play
5. 5 D. Schultz · Houston Texans · Receiving · +1.62 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.54 EPA/play
6. 6 J. Mixon · Houston Texans · Receiving · +1.39 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.28 EPA/play
7. 7 C. Stroud · Houston Texans · Passing · +0.97 total EPA · 40 snaps · +0.02 EPA/play
8. 8 D. Swift · Chicago Bears · Receiving · +0.29 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.06 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

• Houston Texans — N. Collins (C. Stroud pass) (Q2 45:00)
• Chicago Bears — K. Herbert (Q2 30:35)

Field goals

• Houston Texans — K. Fairbairn (Q1 55:25)
• Chicago Bears — C. Santos (Q1 48:55)
• Houston Texans — K. Fairbairn (Q2 39:58)
• Houston Texans — K. Fairbairn (Q2 30:06)
• Houston Texans — K. Fairbairn (Q4 13:43)
• Chicago Bears — C. Santos (Q4 2:56)

How it unfolded, quarter by quarter

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

The opening quarter: The quarter finished even at 3–3. Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the CHI 38 (Q1 55:25) — (10:25) 15-K.Fairbairn 56 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-6-T.Townsend.; Chicago Bears connected on a field goal from the HOU 35 (Q1 48:55) — (3:55) 8-C.Santos 53 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-S.Daly, Holder-19-T.Taylor..

The second quarter: Houston Texans won the period 13–7. Houston Texans found the end zone from the CHI 28 (Q2 45:00); Houston Texans added 1 points from the CHI 15 (Q2 44:55) — 15-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-6-T.Townsend.; Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the CHI 29 (Q2 39:58) — (9:58) 15-K.Fairbairn 47 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-6-T.Townsend.; Chicago Bears found the end zone from the HOU 2 (Q2 30:35) — (:35) (Shotgun) 24-K.Herbert left end for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Chicago Bears added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q2 30:32) — 8-C.Santos extra point is GOOD, Center-46-S.Daly, Holder-19-T.Taylor.; Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the CHI 41 (Q2 30:06) — (:06) 15-K.Fairbairn 59 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-6-T.Townsend..

The fourth quarter: The quarter finished even at 3–3. Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the CHI 34 (Q4 13:43) — (13:43) 15-K.Fairbairn 53 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-6-T.Townsend.; Chicago Bears connected on a field goal from the HOU 36 (Q4 2:56) — (2:56) 8-C.Santos 54 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-S.Daly, Holder-19-T.Taylor..

Turning points

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

• Houston Texans (Q1 46:40) — (1:40) 7-C.Stroud pass short right to 87-C.Stover pushed ob at CHI 32 for 18 yards (49-T.Edmunds). [WPA +12.4% · EPA +3.17]
• Houston Texans (Q4 1:45) — (1:45) 6-T.Townsend punts 44 yards to CHI 20, Center-46-J.Weeks, fair catch by 11-D.Carter. [WPA -10.2% · EPA -0.23]
• Chicago Bears (Q1 51:47) — (6:47) (Shotgun) 18-C.Williams pass short left to 2-D.Moore to HOU 26 for 19 yards (0-A.Al-Shaair; 21-C.Bullock). [WPA +9.5% · EPA +2.16]
• Houston Texans (Q2 45:00) — (15:00) (Shotgun) 7-C.Stroud pass short middle to 12-N.Collins for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on CHI-29-T.Stevenson, Illegal Use of Hands, declined. [WPA +8.8% · EPA +3.75]
• Chicago Bears (Q2 30:35) — (:35) (Shotgun) 24-K.Herbert left end for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA +8.4% · EPA +2.16]

Impact plays

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

• Houston Texans (Q4 6:38) — (6:38) 22-C.Akers up the middle to CHI 4 for no gain (97-A.Billings). FUMBLES (97-A.Billings), RECOVERED by CHI-31-K.Byard at CHI 3. [WPA -3.2% · EPA -5.59]
• Houston Texans (Q2 45:00) — (15:00) (Shotgun) 7-C.Stroud pass short middle to 12-N.Collins for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on CHI-29-T.Stevenson, Illegal Use of Hands, declined. [WPA +8.8% · EPA +3.75]
• Chicago Bears (Q3 21:14) — (6:14) (Shotgun) 18-C.Williams sacked at HOU 48 for -7 yards (51-W.Anderson). [WPA -5.8% · EPA -3.28]
• Chicago Bears (Q4 13:07) — (13:07) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 18-C.Williams pass deep right intended for 85-C.Kmet INTERCEPTED by 4-K.Lassiter at HOU 48. 4-K.Lassiter pushed ob at CHI 43 for 9 yards (15-R.Odunze). [WPA -5.6% · EPA -3.26]

Quarterback report card

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

• C.Williams (Chicago Bears) · 52 dropbacks · 44.2% completion · -1.3% CPOE · -0.22 EPA/play · -11.56 total EPA
• C.Stroud (Houston Texans) · 40 dropbacks · 57.5% completion · -3.3% CPOE · +0.02 EPA/play · +0.97 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 (-0.06 vs -0.13), even if the scoreboard told a different story.

• Chicago Bears: 13 drives, -11.69 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
• Houston Texans: 13 drives, -5.03 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.
• N. Collins (Houston Texans) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
• C. Stroud (HOU) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.

Every scoring play

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

1. Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q1 55:25 · CHI 38 · Score 0-3
   (10:25) 15-K.Fairbairn 56 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-6-T.Townsend.
2. Chicago Bears FG (+3) — Q1 48:55 · HOU 35 · Score 3-3
   (3:55) 8-C.Santos 53 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-S.Daly, Holder-19-T.Taylor.
3. Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q2 45:00 · CHI 28 · Score 3-9
   (15:00) (Shotgun) 7-C.Stroud pass short middle to 12-N.Collins for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on CHI-29-T.Stevenson, Illegal Use of Hands, declined.
4. Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q2 44:55 · CHI 15 · Score 3-10
   15-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-6-T.Townsend.
5. Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q2 39:58 · CHI 29 · Score 3-13
   (9:58) 15-K.Fairbairn 47 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-6-T.Townsend.
6. Chicago Bears TD (+6) — Q2 30:35 · HOU 2 · Score 9-13
   (:35) (Shotgun) 24-K.Herbert left end for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
7. Chicago Bears XP (+1) — Q2 30:32 · HOU 15 · Score 10-13
   8-C.Santos extra point is GOOD, Center-46-S.Daly, Holder-19-T.Taylor.
8. Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q2 30:06 · CHI 41 · Score 10-16
   (:06) 15-K.Fairbairn 59 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-6-T.Townsend.
9. Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q4 13:43 · CHI 34 · Score 10-19
   (13:43) 15-K.Fairbairn 53 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-6-T.Townsend.
10. Chicago Bears FG (+3) — Q4 2:56 · HOU 36 · Score 13-19
    (2:56) 8-C.Santos 54 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-S.Daly, Holder-19-T.Taylor.