Getty C.J. Stroud shakes hands with Caleb Williams following the Texans' win over the Bears on SNF.
Reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud led the Houston Texans to a 19-13 win over rookie Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears Week 2 on Sunday Night Football.
Stroud completed 23 of his 36 passing attempts for 260 yards and a touchdown against a tough Bears defense, continuing the hot play that saw him throw for over 4,100 yards and 25 TDs as a rookie last season.
Constantly harassed by a blitzing Texans defense, Williams had another rough outing in career start No. 2. The Bears’ rookie signal-caller went 23-27 for no TDs and 2 interceptions, also getting sacked 7 times. After the game was over, cameras captured Stroud speaking to Williams. When asked what he told the Bears QB, Stroud shared what he told Williams.
“I just told him that everything that got you here is gonna take care of you in the long run,” Stroud told Sunday Night Football sideline reporter Melissa Stark after the win.
“Don’t put your head down, don’t let a hard time humble you. Just keep going. It’s not gonna be easy, but you got picked at No. 1 for a reason — because they trust you and they believe in you. I wish him the best. I definitely think that he’ll be better as he goes on.”
Caleb Williams Would Be Wise to Heed C.J. Stroud’s Advice
C.J. Stroud shares what he talked to Caleb Williams about and Nico Collins gets his first game ball after the Texans earn a Sunday night win.
Stroud and Williams both have a good amount in common. Stroud was selected at No. 2 overall in 2023, while Williams at No. 1 overall the following year. Both landed on teams with strong defenses.
There were times the Texans QB struggled as a rookie, like during the team’s Week 14 loss to the New York Jets. Stroud went 10-23 for 91 yards and no scores in that 30-6 loss. He was also sacked 38 times last year. So far through two games, Williams has completed 56.1% of his passes for no TDs and 2 interceptions, both of which he threw against the Texans.
While Stroud is clearly a special player, he also took his lumps as a rookie QB. And with just two games in the books, it’s far too early to panic about Williams if you’re a fan of the Bears. There’s plenty of time for him to settle down and start playing with better rhythm.
That said, there are some glaring areas of concern for Chicago that aren’t going to go away anytime soon.
Bears OL Wasn’t Ready for Anything the Texans Brought
The Texans defense blitzed Caleb Williams on 41.7% of his dropbacks (20 times), the unit’s highest blitz rate in a game under DeMeco Ryans.
The Texans generated 12 pressures and 5 sacks when blitzing, with nine defenders finishing with multiple pressures.
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A large part of Williams’ struggles against Houston were due to the relentless blitz packages sent by DeMeco Ryans and his defense.
According to Next Gen Stats, the Texans blitzed Williams on 41.7% of his drop backs (that’s a whopping 23 team pressures on 48 drop backs). Williams went 3-for-12 for 15 yards and an interception when blitzed. When he wasn’t blitzed, Williams went 20-25 for 159 yards and a pick.
It didn’t help that Chicago’s offensive line did nothing to help its rookie quarterback. Defensive linemen Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter together combined for 17 pressures, giving offensive linemen Coleman Shelton, Nate Davis and Darnell Wright a tough time all night. Shelton in particular was bowled back into Williams’ lap on multiple occasions.
Until general manager Ryan Poles addresses the O-line in a major way, Williams may continue to struggle. But if he heeds Stroud’s advice and keeps his confidence, Williams should be just fine.
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C.J. Stroud Reveals Advice He Gave Caleb Williams After Texans Beat Bears