Johnson might have solely appeared open to Rypien when the quarterback lofted a cross down the appropriate sideline to the 6-foot-6 receiver late within the first half. Johnson soared over the 6-foot Ford and plucked the ball out of the air. It was just like a go-route the 2 had related on in observe a couple of days in the past that stoked their chemistry.
“It was one cross, one catch, but it surely was a big-time play for us,” Johnson mentioned. “It was a go ball and he put it again shoulder proper on the cash, the place an enormous receiver like me likes it. So I advised him that is the right ball for me.”
“We related sort of the identical method [in practice],” Rypien mentioned. “It was one other down-the-field, just-give-him-a-chance 50/50 kind of ball. Even a type of provides you lots of confidence in a man that he will go up and make a play. So anytime I noticed a chance once they have been enjoying man protection tonight, I used to be attempting to benefit from that.”
The Texans scored on their first two possessions of the sport, taking a 10-0 lead on Davis Mills’ 9-yard landing cross to tight finish Teagan Quitoriano and Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 33-yard subject purpose. Each scores capped 74-yard drives.
Mills exited following Fairbairn’s kick early within the second quarter after finishing 10 of 13 passes for 102 yards with one TD and a 124.5 passer score.
Bagent began at quarterback for the Bears and performed one collection, connecting on 2 of three passes for 16 yards and a 79.9 passer score.