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HOUSTON – The Bears are 1-0 heading into a Week 2 primetime clash with the Houston Texans. In this zero-sum game we call the NFL, that’s all that matters.

That said, they must be far better to double their win total. There’s some nuance involved with that effort, especially when discussing a game against one of the NFL’s trendy teams, one that did an about face by drafting C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson near the top of last year’s first round.

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The Texans went from afterthought to playoff contender in a single season.

While the Bears didn’t acknowledge a desire to follow in Houston’s footsteps heading into Sunday night’s game, they’d like to pave a similar path to prominence. They seem primed to do so, with Caleb Williams now at the helm and a solid cast around him.

A Week 1 victory over Tennessee showed there’s work to be done to secure an ascent up the standings. That leads to several questions the Bears need to answer heading into a big early-season test at Houston’s NRG Stadium.

Can DJ Moore do it all?

The veteran might have to. Keenan Allen (heel) and Rome Odunze (knee) are both questionable for Sunday’s game, meaning the top-flight receiving trio might be down to one come kickoff.

Allen didn’t practice all week and Odunze’s dealing with an MCL sprain that represents the rookie’s first-ever knee injury. Caution might win out with one or both, leaving Moore to carry the torch for a passing game that struggled mightily in the season’s opening week.

He’s capable of playing the No. 1 receiver role and dealing all the safety-help that comes with it, something we witnessed time and again last season. Moore can be a dominant force, though the Texans can pose issues for even the best receivers. Moore won’t be alone, however, even if Allen and Odunze can’t go. Cole Kmet played a lesser role than usual last week, but he can be a handful in the middle of the field. D’Andre Swift can also move around and be active in the passing game.

Moore will have to be dominant despite those facts, and help Williams improve on an lackluster NFL debut where the rookie quarterback and the offense never found great sync. Elite receivers need to shine in moments like this, even when the whole world knows who’s getting the ball. Moore is that dude, a No. 1 guy at his core. That’s why he got paid this offseason. If Allen and Odunze are absent, Moore must rise to the occasion.

Can Bears sustain a solid pass rush?

Chicago’s defensive line got after Tennessee’s Will Levis in Week 1, to the tune of three sacks, seven quarterback hits and 20 overall pressures. If they do something similiar each week, the Bears defense and its elite secondary will be tough to stop.

That’s no lock, not after consecutive seasons where Chicago ranked near the bottom in sacks and pressure rate. We saw some encouraging signs in Week 1 that need to be repeated, most notably Darrell Taylor’s energy, DeMarcus Walker’s aggression and Andrew Billings’ ability to disrupt from the inside. We all know Montez Sweat’s gonna get his, but having help is essential to the Bears getting home rushing four.

The pass-rush task is significantly harder this week, with Laremy Tunsil at left tackle leading the Texans offensive line. C.J. Stroud will take some sacks, so putting him in obvious passing downs will be key to letting the defense feast.

Taylor won’t get two sacks every game, but he and Walker must be consistent off Sweat’s opposite edge to disrupt Stroud’s timing with an excellent Texans receiver corps.

Can Bears run Swift-ly?

D’Andre Swift had 30 rushing yards on 10 carries in his Bears debut, and that sum included a 20-yard run. So, in other words, efficiency was lacking.

As a reference, Swift averaged 4.58 yards per carry last season and posed a legit home-run threat in an Eagles offense will similar components to the Bears at the skill positions. The Bears will need him to get revved up on Sunday night, to avoid the Texans being able to sit back with a two-high look and a light box designed to make Williams’ life difficult.

The Texans gave up 4.6 yards per carry last week. The Bears would take that average to be sure, with a steady carry count over four quarters that could help dominate time of possession and keep the ball out of Stroud’s hands.

This effort isn’t all on Swift. The offensive line must be better creating lanes overall. It’s hard to take much from one game’s stats, but the Bears need their best players, left tackle Braxton Jones and left guard Tevin Jenkins, to be dominant in the run game and set the tone overall up front and get the offense going.

Can Caleb improve on his NFL debut?

In short, the answer is yes. And it‘s a must for the Bears to stand a chance in this game. The rookie was inaccurate and often times not on the same page with his receivers, issues that must get rectified in Week 2.

Offensive coordinator Shane Wladron said Williams needs to have “clean eyes, clean feet,” in order to make the jump toward greater efficiency, but Williams’ critical eye on his performance and track record of making good throws suggests Week 1 might be an aberration.

Williams doesn’t have to be great in Week 2. He simply needs to follow the Bears’ edict for him — make on-schedule throws, lean on those around him and pick moments to be special. He’ll need the offensive line to be better in that effort, and he’ll need Moore to be at his very best.

If he plays as he’s capable, though, the Bears could be scary good. That’s a big if and a big ask for someone this early into his NFl career. If there’s anyone who can do it, Williams can.

Can Bears negate Joe Mixon?

The Texans upgraded at running back by adding Joe Mixon in free agency. The former Cincinnati Bengal had 159 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries against the Colts, a solid start that balances the Texans offense. The Bears must shut that ground option down to create the turnovers they’re known for and, frankly, to stand a chance in this game.

That won’t be easy. Getting Zacch Pickens back from a groin injury will help, but the Bears defensive interior overall must be stout to grind the Texans to a halt on early downs and create situations where the pass rush can get after Stroud. They struggled against the run to start Week 1, but clamped down in the second half. They’ll have to put forth four good quarters of run defense to slow these Texans down. If not, it’ll be a long night in Texas for the Bears defense.

Follow Bears Insider Scott Bair on X @ScottBairNFL. Also, Bair Mail is coming! Join the conversation by submitting a mailbag question or comment to mailbag@marqueesportsnetwork.com for a chance to be included in this new content series.