To the delight of everyone outside of Carolina, last year’s 2nd overall pick, C.J. Stroud, appears to be what the kids call “The Real Deal.” Of course, the Panthers famously passed on the Ohio State product, opting instead to draft pint-sized Alabama quarterback Bryce Young with the #1 pick in 2023. Young has been, to be kind, pretty shitty since his NFL inauguration, casting a tiny but heavy shadow over an organization that has already seen tickets to their home opener drop below $1 this year. All Stroud has done since flying into H-Town is throw for over 4,000 yards, win Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, and lead the Texans to their first playoff victory since 2019. Young, on the other hand, threw for a paltry 2,800 yards in his debut season on his way to a league-worst 2-15 record.

This week, C.J. Stroud and the Texans will look to embarrass yet another organization and its own #1 pick as they welcome in the Chicago Bears for Sunday Night Football. This will be the first of four prime-time games the Texans will play this season, with the NFL looking to showcase their budding superstar before a national audience. In fact, the Texans will play three prime-time games in a row between October 31 and November 18 after having just one all of last year.

In that lone prime-time appearance, Stroud showed why he was the cream of the NFL rookie crop and why the Panthers’ brass will likely be browsing the classified ads after the season. Against the Colts on Monday Night Football, on his first pass attempt of the game, the 22-year-old neophyte uncorked a 75-yard bomb to wide receiver Nico Collins for the game’s first touchdown. Stroud completed 77% of his passes with 2 TDs and no turnovers in a 23-19 victory that secured the Texans a playoff spot for the first time in half a decade.

We should expect much of the same from Stroud in his first night game of 2024 in what should be a cakewalk win over Chicago. The Bears are coming off a miraculous victory over the Titans in Week 1 in which the offense scored exactly zero touchdowns and franchise savior Caleb Williams failed to break the 100-yard passing mark. In a more cynical world, the Titans would be investigated for point-shaving after coughing up a 17-0 lead that included a blocked punt returned for a TD and a 4th-quarter pick-6 off an underhand shovel pass-throwaway attempt from quarterback Will Levis. The Bears’ unblemished 1-0 record will likely distract from the fact that Chicago looked legitimately terrible for most of the game and was essentially gifted a win in Caleb Williams’ NFL debut. They should expect no such generosity from the Texans in Week 2, who are coming off a win of their own against Anthony Richardson and the Indianapolis Colts.

Despite a staunch Chicago defense, the Bears will have their hands full trying to stop not just Stroud but an offense that has been heavily bolstered since last year’s breakout season. The Texans traded for two studs this offseason in the form of All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs and running back Joe Mixon, who combined for 3 TDs in their Week 1 victory. Mixon finished with 30 carries and 159 yards and will likely see another healthy dose of opportunities to shine Sunday night, with much of the defense’s attention focused on Stroud and his golden right arm. The Bears will also have to keep their eyes glued on stud wide receiver Nico Collins, who broke out for his first 1,000-yard season last year, and speedy slot man Tank Dell, who hauled in 7 TDs of his own in 2023.

America will have to get used to Stroud and the Texans in prime time the same way they did the likes of Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes. They are here to stay, and you will be seeing a lot of them under the NFL’s brightest lights.

If you’re betting on this game, don’t overthink it. The Bears probably stink, and the Texans most certainly do not.

Texans -6.5 is the pick.

The Prop I Like the Most

Nico Collins Anytime Touchdown

Collins failed to score in Week 1 with Diggs and Mixon hogging most of the scoring tries. Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn also accounted for roughly 30% of the scoring with three 50-yard field goals. Collins will be a huge focal point on Sunday night and is a great bet to find the end zone.

Another Prop I Like

Caleb Williams under 215.5 passing yards

Until proven otherwise, I will be taking Caleb Williams’ passing yards unders. He will need to nearly triple his output from last week against a much better defense on the road. I don’t see it.