AGGRESSIVE ATTITUDE: Earlier this week Bears linebacker Lance Briggs put everything into context by simply stating the Bears need to show up in Houston with a “take no prisoners” attitude.
Yes, it is cliché,’ but it is important to play every snap with that mindset.
The Texans are getting ripped in Houston for what cornerback Dunta Robinson called “laying down” against the Raiders last week.
Look for this young team to give the Bears all they can handle as it looks to finish 8-and-8 and build towards next season.
ANDRE THE GIANT: There may be no better receiver in football than Houston’s Andre Johnson. At 6-3, 223 pounds, and with 4.39 speed, Johnson is strong, swift, and extremely difficult to defend. In 85 games, he is hauled in 475 passes for the Texans.
This season, he leads the league in receiving yards and is second in catches. Seven times this season Johnson has more than 100 yards in passes. The ideal matchup for Johnson is Bears cornerback Charles Tillman.
Last week the Raiders held Johnson to only two catches for 19-yards with excellent cornerback play. Containing Johnson would at least be a start in dissecting the league’s third ranked and balanced offense.
ATTACK THE BALL: Houston’s offense is dynamic with Johnson and former Libertyville high school star Kevin Walter at receiver, former Naperville Central star Owen Daniels at tight end, and rookie running back Steve Slaton slashing through defenses.
This offense routinely owns the clock and moves the ball, but they also turn it over.
The Bears are tied for the league lead in takeaways with Tennessee with 31, while the Texans have given the ball away 31 times, tied with the Rams for second-most in the league. Houston quarterbacks have thrown 20 interceptions and starter Matt Schaub has fumbled 10 times, losing four.
Like most teams, when the Texans turn it over they struggle, when they do not, they win. Under head coach Gary Kubiak, they are 13-2 when winning the turnover ratio.
GRIND TO A HALT: A struggling Bears offense must find a way to move the ball, own the clock, and score touchdowns in what is becoming a difficult place to play.
The Texans are 11-and-4 at Reliant Stadium the last two seasons. Teams are averaging 4.5 yards/carry on the Texans defense and they are scoring when they get in the redzone, where the Texans rank 30th in touchdown efficiency.
Bears rookie Matt Forte’ is averaging only 3.2 yards/carry in the past three games, but on a good track with warmer weather the hope is the Bears can get it rolling on the ground and grind out enough yardage and points to nail down win No. 10.
PRESSURE THE QB AND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE: A dominant performance by the Bears front seven will go hand-in-hand with tight coverage and sure tackling in the Bears secondary.
The defense that leads the NFL in negative runs needs to keep rookie back Steve Slaton bottled up and force Schaub to throw quicker than he would like.
The Texans are thriving on first down this season, leading the league getting almost 6.6 yards-per-play. Making something happen defensively on first down will knock the Texans off their schedule and out of their offensive rhythm.
That comes with pass pressure, sacks, and negative plays forced by a defense that is playing for everything Sunday.
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