Houston Texans (10-7 Last season) vs. Chicago Bears (7-10 Last Season)
Houston Texans vs. Chicago Bears August 1 2024 – As the NFL gears up for another thrilling season, the focus shifts to the Hall of Fame game featuring a face-off between the Houston Texans and the Chicago Bears. Both teams have had their ups and downs last season, with the Texans managing a 10-7 record while the Bears lagged slightly behind at 7-10. Scheduled for August 1, 2024, this game not only honors past football greats but also kick starts the betting season, offering plenty of opportunities for NFL Hall of Fame expert free picks.
Houston Texans vs. Chicago Bears August 1 2024 Game Info
When: | Thursday, August 1, 2024 at 8:00 PM ET |
Where: | Tom Benson HOF Stadium |
TV: | ABC |
Stream: | NFL Game Pass |
Houston Texans vs. Chicago Bears Betting Odds
Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
Texans | +105 | +5.5 (-101) | 40 over (+128) |
Bears | -125 | -5.5 (-122) | 40 under (-159) |
The Texans enter this game as underdogs, which might surprise some considering their more favorable record last season. The Bears, despite their less stellar performance, are favored by 5.5 points. The total for the game is set at 40 points, with varying odds for the over and under.
C.J. Stroud QB vs. Tyson Bagen QB
- J. Stroud, a Texans’ quarterback, was equally remarkable last season with 3,108 passing yards completing 63.9% of his passes, and contributed 23 touchdowns and made five interceptions. It captures a quarterback who is confident in the pocket and thus has big moments for significant plays when under pressure. It is therefore clear that Stroud was a very effective thrower when it came to decision making and making precise passes because his passer rating last season was 100.8.
On the other side, Tyson Bagen of the Bears had limited exposure with only 5 games played in the last season. He achieved 65.7% passing success and 859 passing yards, which can hardly be compared to Stroud’s statistics. One of the challenges that Bagen has been having is a high interception rate (6 intercepted passes with only 3 touchdown passes) meaning that he has a problem in pressure situations which he will have to work harder if he is to stand a chance against the Texans.
The confrontation of these two quarterbacks will be decisive. While Stroud has been depicted to be a highly reliable employee with impressive performance stats, Bagen has been painted as an employee who has to establish himself. This dynamic is expected to profoundly affect the style of attack of the two teams.
Dynamic Offense: Texans’ Ground and Air Attack
Texans have demonstrated a balanced approach to the formation of the offense. Dameon Pierce is their top rusher, who had 416 rushing yards last season; while Pierce has a slightly lower per-carry efficiency, he also possesses strong red-zone capabilities that play well off Stroud’s aerial game. Nico Collins, the receiver with 1,297 yards and 8 touchdowns, is a weapon in deep ball and opens scoring chances. Such an approach of ground and air attack can pose a strong threat to the Bears’ defense line.
Chicago’s Response: Rushing and Receiving Insights
Khalil Herbert has been the silver lining when it comes to the Bears’ ground game, rushing for 611 yards and averaging 4.6 yards per attempt. His performances make Chicago have a consistent ground game option. The top receiver in terms of yardage is DJ Moore, who is also an explosive addition to the Bears’ receiving corps. To dissect the Texans’ defense, Bagen will have to take advantage of short plays and convert them into long plays since the latter plays a key role when starting a match or period.
Houston Texans Betting Trends
Houston are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games.
Texans are 8-4 SU in their last 12 games.
Houston are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games on the road.
Houston are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games against an opponent in the National Football Conference North division.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Houston’s last 6 games played in August.
Chicago Bears Betting Trends
Chicago are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Chicago’s last 10 games.
Chicago are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games.
Chicago are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home.
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Chicago’s last 14 games against an opponent in the American Football Conference conference.
Houston Texans vs. Chicago Bears Betting Picks
Based on the analysis and recent betting trends, the game poses an interesting scenario for bettors. While the Bears are favored, the Texans show potential for an upset, especially considering their strong ATS performance on the road. The total going under might be a safer bet, reflecting both teams’ recent performances in early-season games.
For those involved in legal online betting, this game offers a compelling mix of strategies. Considering the Texans’ strong road ATS record and the Bears’ knack for scoring at home, the smart money might be on the Texans covering the spread, with a lean towards the total going under, given the trends.