The Chicago Bears travel to NRG Stadium for a Sunday night matchup against the Houston Texans. Both teams enter the week looking to remain undefeated.
And while both teams have players across the board who are expected to produce at a high level, these under-the-radar wildcards could be what make the difference Sunday night.
4 Wild Cards for Bears vs. Texans in Week 2
Tyler Scott, WR, Bears
While Rome Odunze is expected to play Sunday night after spraining his MCL in Week 1, Keenan Allen (heel) is expected to sit this week out.
According to Jay Glazer on the FOX pregame show, he expects Keenan Allen to be OUT tonight and Rome Odunze will be IN but the Bears want to put him through warmups first.
— Matt Eurich (@MattEurich) September 15, 2024
With that, second-year wide receiver Tyler Scott could be a surprise performer on Sunday night against Houston.
Scott is mostly a speedy deep threat. Paired with Caleb Williams’ ability to uncork shots against opposing defenses and Scott’s opportunity to see more snaps than usual, this connection could be strong on Sunday night.
Cole Kmet, TE, Bears
In a similar vein as Scott, Cole Kmet could be another surprise performer this week, especially after a quiet Week 1 performance from the starting tight end.
Kmet played fewer snaps than Gerald Everett last week, but head coach Matt Eberflus reiterated this week that they want Kmet involved in the offensive game plan.
Considering Williams’ lackluster Week 1 performance, the Bears could use Kmet in the middle of the field to make a difference in Week 2.
Mario Edwards Jr., DT, Texans
After seeing what the Titans did last week to Chicago’s interior offensive line, the Texans could be expecting a strong performance from Mario Edwards Jr.
Teven Jenkins, Coleman Shelton, and Nate Davis had a poor showing in Week 1, so it’s likely that Houston will make that a focal point of its defensive attack this week.
With head coach DeMeco Ryans having a defensive background both as a player and a coach, there’s an expectation for the Texans’ defense to have a strong game.
While Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter face off against the stronger part of Chicago’s offensive line, Edwards could be a wild card performer from the defensive tackle position on Sunday night.
Jarrett Patterson, C, Texans
After a strong Week 1 from the Bears’ pass rush, backup Houston center Jarrett Patterson could be filling in for an injured Juice Scruggs in the Texans’ home opener.
If Patterson needs to step in, his performance could tell how well Houston’s offense performs on Sunday night against a highly-ranked Bears defense.
Defensive tackles Andrew Billings and Gervon Dexter Sr. had impressive Week 1 performances, and Patterson could have his hands full this week if he’s given the green light to start.
With national attention on this matchup, a strong performance from Patterson could be crucial for the Texans.