Week 3 of the Texans season means a trip to CHI-CA-GOOOO! I can imagine there'll be a ton of Traveling Texans headed north to see the Texans take on the Bears, seeing as though last time we were there, there was nobody there. As such, it's been ten years since the Texans took on the Bears in Soldier Field with fans in the stands, so let's get hyped for this matchup in the Windy City. Here is my Daily Brew: By the Numbers for this week's matchup.
3,605 - The Texans haven't played the Bears at Soldier Field with fans in the stands in nearly 4,000 days. The last time the Texans traveled to Chicago in 2020, the fans weren't allowed in Soldier Field due to COVID. As such, it's been ten years since a full crowd watched the Texans face the Chicago Bears, whose head coach was…Lovie Smith.
5 - In the 2012 matchup on a brutal weather night, the Texans and Bears combined to fumble or throw an interception five times in the first 15 minutes of action. Texans KR Keshawn Martin fumbled the opening kickoff, then got it back. Texans LB Tim Dobbins recovered a fumble on the Bears first offensive play. Bears star CB Tim Jennings had an interception and so did Texans S (Former Bears S) Danieal Manning. Throw in a Bears RB Michael Bush fumble and that makes five in the first quarter. Jennings had another interception early in the second quarter so that made six in the first 34 plays of the game.
2 - This will be Lovie Smith's second trip to Soldier Field as the head coach of an opposing team after spending nine years as the Bears leader. He led the Buccaneers there in his first season in Tampa in 2014.
77 - Lovie Smith coached that many combined (regular season and playoff) games at Soldier Field in his nine years as head coach of the Chicago Bears.
5 - Under Lovie, the Bears had five winning seasons in nine years. Since Lovie left Chicago, though, the Bears have had ONE winning season in nine seasons.
8 - Texans QB Davis Mills completed passes to eight different pass catchers against the Broncos in Week 2.
25 - Texans S Jonathan Owens no longer is the league leader in total tackles (25) as Pittsburgh LB Myles Jack took over the lead with his Thursday night performance against the Browns to kickoff week three but…
12.5 - Owens does lead in tackles per game with just over a dozen stops per game. Kamu Grugier-Hill is two total tackles behind him with 23.
4 - In Week 4 last year, the Texans started the same offensive line - same players, same spots - as they did in Week 3. Then, well, it didn't but one time the rest of the 2021 season. If nothing untoward happens in the next 36-48 hours, the Texans offensive line should start the same five players in the exact same spots in consecutive WEEKS for the first time since that Buffalo game last year. That's nearly a full calendar year since having continuity on the OL.
(The Texans did start the same OL in back-to-back GAMES in weeks nine and 11 last year, but there was a bye week in between weeks nine and 11).
4 - The Texans have four wins in the series with the Bears (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016) with just one loss in 2020. So, the Texans have never lost to the Bears with fans in the stands. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
3 - With a win, the Texans will have won three times in Soldier Field. That would be the most wins for the Texans against an NFC team on the road.
Alright, I'm really hoping that last nugget comes to fruition like all of you. See you on Sunday, everyone!! GO TEXANS!!
