Rapid Recap: Bears defeat Texans in weather-shortened Hall of Fame Game (2024)

CANTON, Ohio – With their starters watching from the sideline in street clothes, the Bears opened the preseason Thursday night with a 21-17 storm-shortened comeback win over the Texans in the Hall of Fame Game.

Quarterback Brett Rypien and receiver Collin Johnson made the most of their expanded playing time, teaming up to help the Bears rally from deficits of 10-0 and 17-7.

"Collin did a really nice job and had a really good game," said coach Matt Eberflus. "Ryp had a really good game in there in terms of his operation of the offense, had some really good shots in there."

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After replacing Tyson Bagent to start the Bears' second drive of the game, Rypien threw three touchdown passes on four possessions, including two to Johnson.

Rypien exited with 9:41 left in the third quarter after completing 11 of 15 passes for 166 yards with three touchdowns and a sparkling 148.9 passer rating. Johnson caught three passes for 56 yards—TD receptions of 20 and nine yards and a sensational leaping 27-yard catch over cornerback Mike Ford.

The game was suspended with 3:31 remaining in the third period due to severe weather, which included heavy rain and lightning that forced players and fans to clear Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The postponement came about 35 minutes later.

"The NFL made the right move there with the lightning in the area," Eberflus said.

Rypien created some electricity of his own. But Eberflus wasn't surprised with how well the sixth-year pro performed given his background with Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Rypien spent three weeks with the Seahawks late last season when Waldron served in the same role in Seattle.

"He's been in this offense," Eberflus said. "He knows the offense well. He's heard the verbiage. He understands the concepts and you can see that. He definitely understands the space that needs to be occupied by the receivers and how they get open. You could see that today. He was throwing guys open."

Johnson may have only appeared open to Rypien when the quarterback lofted a pass down the right sideline to the 6-foot-6 receiver late in the first half. Johnson soared over the 6-foot Ford and plucked the ball out of the air. It was similar to a go-route the two had connected on in practice a few days ago that stoked their chemistry.

"It was one pass, one catch, but it was a big-time play for us," Johnson said. "It was a go ball and he put it back shoulder right on the money, where a big receiver like me likes it. So I told him that's the perfect ball for me."

"We connected kind of the same way [in practice]," Rypien said. "It was another down-the-field, just-give-him-a-chance 50/50 type of ball. Even one of those gives you a lot of confidence in a guy that he's going to go up and make a play. So anytime I saw an opportunity when they were playing man coverage tonight, I was trying to take advantage of that."

The Texans scored on their first two possessions of the game, taking a 10-0 lead on Davis Mills' 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Teagan Quitoriano and Ka'imi Fairbairn's 33-yard field goal. Both scores capped 74-yard drives.

Mills exited following Fairbairn's kick early in the second quarter after completing 10 of 13 passes for 102 yards with one TD and a 124.5 passer rating.

Bagent started at quarterback for the Bears and played one series, connecting on 2 of 3 passes for 16 yards and a 79.9 passer rating.

The Bears cut the deficit to 10-7 on Rypien's 20-yard touchdown strike to Johnson midway through the second quarter, capping an impressive eight-play, 80-yard drive.

Khalil Herbert rushed for 35 yards on four carries on the possession, including a 19-yard burst. Center Jerome Carvin kept the drive alive by recovering tight end Tommy Sweeney's fumble following a reception over the middle.

The Texans increased their lead to 17-7 on Case Keenum's 4-yard touchdown pass to running back Cam Akers with 1:44 remaining in the first half.

Rypien followed by engineering a near-perfect two-minute drill, marching the Bears 72 yards on five plays in just :58 by completing 4 of 4 passes for 67 yards. He capped the drive by rifling a 23-yard TD pass to Sweeney over the middle to draw the Bears to within 17-14 with :46 left in the half.

Rypien and Johnson connected for a second touchdown, a 9-yarder, to give the Bears their first lead of the game at 21-17 with 11:39 remaining in the third quarter.

With heavy rain falling later in the period, Fairbairn's 58-yard field goal attempt missed wide right. The game was then suspended and eventually postponed.