Brett Rypien had a standout performance before the game was cut short due to lightning and heavy rain. The veteran quarterback threw three touchdown passes, leading the Chicago Bears to a 21-17 win over the Houston Texans in Thursday night’s Hall of Fame game.
The NFL’s exhibition opener was halted with 3:31 remaining in the third quarter and eventually canceled after a 36-minute delay.
At the start, the focus was on the NFL’s new kickoff rule, which was introduced to boost returns after last season saw a record-low number. Out of eight kickoffs, none were returned beyond the 32-yard line. Three returns were brought back to the 26-yard line, one yard further than the previous touchback. There was also one touchback that started from the 30-yard line.
Tyson Bagent started in place of Williams, the No. 1 overall pick with high expectations in Chicago. Davis Mills took the field instead of Stroud, the 2023 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Rypien completed 11 of 15 passes for 166 yards, including touchdown throws of 20 and 9 yards to Collin Johnson and 22 yards to Tommy Sweeney. Despite his previous 2-2 record as a starter over four seasons with the Broncos and Rams, he entered training camp as the third-string quarterback.
Mills, who had a 5-19-1 starting record in the two seasons before Stroud’s arrival, went 10 of 13 for 102 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown pass to Teagan Quitoriano that finished the opening drive.
Veteran Case Keenum threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Cam Akers, giving the Texans a 17-7 lead late in the second quarter.
Rypien guided the Bears on a 72-yard drive in just 58 seconds during the final minutes of the first half, with a touchdown pass to Sweeney making it 17-14. He then put the Bears ahead with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Johnson in the third quarter.
Houston’s Steven Sims caught Cairo Santos’ kickoff at the 5 and returned it 21 yards before being tackled at the 26. Following a Texans score, Chicago’s Tyler Scott caught Ka’imi Fairbairn’s kickoff at the 7 and returned it 19 yards to the 26.
Previously, touchbacks resulted in starting from the 25-yard line.
Scott fielded the third kickoff one yard deep in the end zone, opting to return it rather than taking a touchback, and was tackled at the 20. The Bears were penalized for an early departure—only the returners and kicker can move before the ball is caught—but the Texans declined the penalty.
Last year, the Texans, led by rookie coach DeMeco Ryans, quarterback Stroud, and Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr., went from worst to first in the AFC South, finishing with 11 wins and advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs.
The Bears are aiming to make a similar improvement from a 7-10 record to the playoffs after selecting Williams first overall, adding wide receiver Rome Odunze with the ninth pick, and making significant roster changes through free agency.
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