Caleb Williams will make his NFL primetime debut in Week 2 when the Chicago Bears visit C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football.
Both teams started their season with Week 1 wins, albeit in completely different ways. Chicago relied heavily on its defense and special teams in a 24-17 comeback victory over Tennessee, while Stroud led a balanced Houston attack to a 29-27 win in Indianapolis.
Ahead of this highly anticipated matchup, let’s examine the latest Sunday Night Football odds and make some Bears vs Texans Predictions for Week 2.
Updated SNF Odds Comparison
Houston has opened as 6.5-point favorites over Chicago, which makes sense given the Texans are playing at home and were much more efficient on offense in Week 1.
The Over/Under for this SNF matchup is currently 45.5 total points, making it the sixth-highest total of the Week 2 slate.
All NFL odds referenced for these Sunday Night Football predictions are current as of Monday, Sept. 9, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
SNF Implied Score & Team Totals
Texans 26, Bears 19.5
Both teams outscored their implied totals in Week 1, but Chicago did so without scoring an offensive touchdown. It’s hard to imagine that will happen again.
Still, given the strength of the Bears’ defense, this game could have a lower-scoring environment.
Take a look at the best Sunday Night Football odds for the 2024 NFL season.
Sportsbook Play of the Day
Sunday Night Football Prediction
SNF Score Prediction: Texans 27, Bears 17
If the Bears have any hope of pulling off this upset, they’re going to need more from their offense.
Williams completed 14-of-29 passes for 93 yards and added 15 more on the ground in his uninspiring NFL debut. In all, Chicago mustered just 148 total yards against Tennessee, averaging 2.8 yards per play.
That’s not going to cut it against a Houston offense that is going to be one of the league’s best this season.
The Texans put up 417 total yards in their Week 1 road win over the Colts, displaying an impressive run-pass balance on offense. Running back Joe Mixon rushed for 157 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries in his team debut, while Stroud threw for 234 yards and two scores — both of which went to offseason acquisition Stefon Diggs.
Even for the league’s best defenses, It is going to be difficult to slow down this Houston attack, especially at home. While Chicago’s unit will keep it in the game, its lack of offense will eventually prove decisive.
Sunday Night Football Bet Tips
Consider these bet tips and trends before making your Bears vs Texans bets.
- The Bears have held opponents to 20 or fewer points in seven straight games dating back to last season.
- The Texans scored at least 20 points in all nine home games Stroud started last season (including the playoffs), posting a 7-2 record straight up.
- In Week 1, the home favorite covered the spread and the Under hit on Sunday Night Football.
Sunday Night Football Best Bets
SNF Over/Under Pick: Bears @ Texans Under 45.5 Points (-108)
The Bears feel like a strong Under team early in the season while Williams and the offense figure things out.
Houston’s willingness to run the ball will help keep the clock moving, as the Texans averaged 31.6 seconds per play in Week 1 despite never leading by double-digits.
As long as Chicago’s defense forces a red-zone stop or two, I like this game to go Under as one of my best football bets today.
SNF Pick Against the Spread: Texans -6.5 (-112) vs Bears
Despite improving significantly as a team, the Texans haven’t been great at covering the spread as favorites since Stroud arrived, posting a 3-6 ATS mark dating back to the start of last season.
However, that mark is slightly better when the Texans are home favorites (2-3) and should improve going forward, especially given the well-balanced nature of this roster.
This spot is perfect to back Houston in a six-point teaser, and I don’t hate laying less than seven points as well.
Sunday Night Football Prop Bet
Race to 30 Points: Neither (-135)
I’ll look to add to my SNF prop bets with a player prop when the odds come out later in the week, but for now, these odds feel pretty generous.
Houston topped 30 points just five times in 19 games last season (including the playoffs), while Chicago reached that plateau three times in 17 contests.
This prop could prove to be a smart alternative to the Under should Williams look more comfortable under center in Week 2.
Sunday Night Football Same-Game Parlay
Best SNF Parlay (+106)
- Texans ML (-290)
- Texans: Over 19.5 Points (-440)
- Bears @ Texans: Under 52.5 Points (-260)
To kick off my Sunday Night Football parlay, I’m backing the Texans at home. Houston is clearly the better football team at this point of the season and should win outright.
I also like the Texans to score at least 20 points, something they have done in each of Stroud’s starts at NRG Stadium.
While Chicago’s defense has played at a high level since the back half of last season, its inability to sustain drives on offense will eventually wear that unit down.
In what should be a lower-scoring game, taking the alternate total on the Under gives us some wiggle room and gets us to plus-money odds.
