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Stroud throws a TD pass and Fairbairn shoots 4 field goals to help the Texans beat the Bears 19-13
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Stroud throws a TD pass and Fairbairn shoots 4 field goals to help the Texans beat the Bears 19-13

HOUSTON (AP) — CJ Stroud threw for 260 yards and a touchdown and Ka′imi Fairbairn hit four field goals to help the Houston Texans beat the Chicago Bears 19-13 on Sunday night.

Fairbairn scored from 56, 47, 59 and 53 yards out and the Houston defense put pressure on Caleb Williams for much of the game.

Stroud’s 28-yard scoring pass to Nico Collins put Houston ahead 10-3 early in the second quarter, and the Texans led 16-10 at halftime.

Houston (2-0) struggled to move the ball in the second half, managing just one field goal, but the defense intercepted Williams twice to secure the win.

Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, was 23 of 37 for 174 yards. He was sacked seven times.

Houston’s Cam Akers fumbled at the Chicago 4 with about 6½ minutes left, and the Bears (1-1) recovered. Cairo Santos made a 54-yard field goal to make it 19-13 with 2:51 left.

The Texans could do nothing on their next drive, punting with about 90 seconds left. But Williams was sacked by Danielle Hunter on second down and his fourth-down pass was incomplete, allowing Houston to run out the clock.

Collins had 135 yards receiving for a second straight 100-yard game to bolster the offense in a game that saw Joe Mixon briefly sit out with an ankle injury. He managed just 25 yards rushing after leading the NFL with 159 yards rushing in his Houston debut last weekend.

Neither team scored in the second half until Houston extended its lead to 19-10 with a 53-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. That score was set up when Williams was hit throwing and intercepted by Derek Stingley.

On Chicago’s second play of the next drive, Williams escaped a sack but threw another interception. This time, he was intercepted by rookie Kamari Lassiter, a second-round pick by Georgia.

The Texans took the lead for good on Collins’ TD reception on the first play of the second quarter. That play came after he had been flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the previous play for putting his hand in Tyrique Stevenson’s face after the cornerback had put his hands in Collins’ face.

The Texans made it 13-3 with a 47-yard field goal on their next possession. Stroud threw great on the drive, finding Collins for an 18-yard gain on the run despite taking a hit as he threw.

A 2-yard scoring run by Khalil Herbert just before halftime cut Houston’s lead to 13-10. It was the Bears’ first touchdown on offense this season after failing to score last week. The scoring was set up by a pass interference call on rookie Calen Bullock, giving the Bears a first down at the 6.

Fairbairn made it 16-10 with a 59-yard field goal.

Injuries

Bears: DL Zacch Pickens left the field in the second half with a groin injury. … WR Keenan Allen was inactive with a heel injury.

Next

Bears: Visit Indianapolis next Sunday.

Texans: Visit Vikings next Sunday.