CANTON, Ohio – While C.J. Stroud and other starters from both teams watched from the sideline, the NFL’s new kickoffs didn’t provide any excitement.
Lighting and heavy rain ended the game early.
Bears veteran quarterback Brett Rypien threw three touchdown passes, leading the Chicago Bears to a 21-17 victory over the Houston Texans on Thursday night in the Hall of Fame game.
The NFL’s exhibition opener was stopped with 3:31 left in the third quarter and was called off after a 36-minute delay.
All eyes were on the NFL’s radical new kickoffs rule at the start. The league dramatically redesigned the play, aiming to revive it after record-low returns last season.
None of the eight kickoffs were returned beyond the 32. Three were brought back to the 26, a yard farther than the old touchback. There was one touchback that came out to the 30.
David Mills, who was 5-19-1 as a starter in the two seasons before Stroud’s arrival, finished 10 of 13 for 102 yards and a 9-yard TD pass to Teagan Quitoriano to cap the opening drive.
Veteran Case Keenum threw a 4-yard TD pass to Cam Akers to give the Texans a 17-7 lead late in the second half.
Rypien led the Bears on a 72-yard drive in just 58 seconds in the final minutes of the first half. His TD pass to Sweeney cut it to 17-14. He put the Bears ahead with the 9-yard strike to Johnson in the third.
Houston’s Steven Sims fielded Cairo Santos’ opening kickoff at the 5 and ran 21 yards before he was tackled at the 26. After the Texans scored, Chicago’s Tyler Scott caught Ka’imi Fairbairn’s kickoff at the 7 and returned it 19 yards to the 26.
Touchbacks used to result in the offense starting at the 25.
Scott fielded the third kickoff one yard deep in the end zone and chose to return it instead of taking a touchback. He was tackled at the 20. The Bears were penalized for leaving early — only the two returners and kicker can move until the ball is caught — but the Texans declined.
“I say kickoff teams won,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “Good job by the cover teams. It looked like the return teams struggled staying on blocks.”
The Texans went worst to first in the AFC South last year behind rookie coach DeMeco Ryans, Stroud and Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. Houston finished with 11 wins, advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs.
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Akers showed quickness on a 14-yard catch that preceded his TD reception. He also ran for 13 yards on five carries. Akers is attempting to comeback with the Texans after his season ended early last season after he tore his Achilles tendon for the second time in three years.
HALL OF FAME FIRSTS
Many of the Bears and Texans fans in the crowd came to see two of their favorites don the gold jackets on Saturday afternoon.
Andre Johnson, the seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, will be the first member of the Texans inducted.
Devin Hester, the dynamic playmaker who returned a league-record 14 punts for touchdowns and ran back five more kickoffs for scores during an 11-year career spent mostly with Chicago, will be the first pure returner to enter the Hall of Fame.
Hester and Johnson received the loudest ovations before the game when the Class of 2024 was introduced.
Popular Bears great Steve McMichael, who can’t attend his induction because he’s in the advanced stages of ALS, was represented by his wife, Misty.
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