'Still building' Bears offense frustrated having to again rely on defense - ESPN

HOUSTON — For a second straight week, the Chicago Bears fell behind by double digits and were carried by their defense in a game that played out much like their season opener. When the Bears needed Caleb Williams and the offense to come through on the final drive of Sunday Night Football, the unit could not move the ball past midfield, and the result was a 19-13 loss to the Houston Texans.

After throwing for 93 yards in the Bears' win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, Williams was better in moments against the Texans but struggled on a night where the spotlight exposed Chicago's pass protection and run game woes. The quarterback was pressured on 35% of his dropbacks in Houston while Chicago's run game netted 71 yards on 22 attempts, including five scrambles from Williams for 44 yards.

«When it finally connects and we're all in the same cylinder, it's going to be good,» wide receiver DJ Moore said. «Right now, we're still building — what can I say? — we're building a puzzle together. Until we get that puzzle fully complete, it's going to be an up-and-down road.»

Williams completed 23 of 37 passes for 174 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions and was sacked seven times. The Bears' lone touchdown drive came before halftime, when Williams moved Chicago into the red zone — its second trip inside the red zone in two games — and capped off an eight-play, 49-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run from Khalil Herbert.

For an offense that entered the 2024 season with high expectations, generating just 353 total yards in two weeks feels similar to struggles of the past.

«It's frustrating,» tight end Cole Kmet said. «It feels like I've had this talk for a few years now. We understood that this would be a process a little