Something in reserve: Bears beat Texans in preseason game ended in the third quarter

The Bears are back.

Or at least they were back on the football field for the first time in six months. The Bears defeated the Texans 21-17 at the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday in Canton, Ohio.

The game ended abruptly late in the third quarter due to severe thunderstorms. With a steady rain falling, the NFL decided to forgo the fourth quarter and call it a night.

But there was still plenty of action prior to the inclement weather. Caleb Williams and the rest of the Bears’ starters did not play Thursday. Bears fans will have to wait until their next preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 10 in order to see the No. 1 overall draft pick.

Here’s what stood out:

1. Collin Johnson steals the show

While the starters took a back seat, it was reserve receiver Collin Johnson who stole the spotlight Thursday. Johnson caught three passes for 56 yards, including a pair of touchdowns.

The 26-year-old receiver was on the Bears’ practice squad for much of last season and appeared in three regular-season games for the Bears.

His most impressive catch might’ve been the one that wasn’t a touchdown. Johnson pulled in a leaping grab along the sideline on a pass from quarterback Brett Rypien with the clock winding down in the second quarter. The pass went for 27 yards and led to a touchdown for tight end Tommy Sweeney a few plays later.

Johnson later ended the night with a third-quarter touchdown grab from Rypien to put the Bears in front. Johnson caught the ball in the left corner of the end zone after a defender stumbled. It wound up being the game-winning score.

2. Rypien’s big night

Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent started the game. It was Rypien, though, who had a flashy night at quarterback. The third-string quarterback was slinging the ball all over the field.

He went 11-for-15 passing for 166 yards with three touchdown passes. Rypien, a free-agent addition over the off-season, played most of the first half and into the third quarter.

Bagent played only one possession to start the game. During Bagent’s lone series, the Bears picked up one first down but wound up punting. Bagent was 2-for-3 passing for 16 yards.

Late in the game, fourth-stringer Austin Reed came in at quarterback. Reed is an undrafted rookie out of Western Kentucky who worked out with Williams during the pre-draft process. He went 2-for-2 for 10 yards.

3. The 12th man

There’s been much discussion over the off-season about the new kickoff rule. Nothing too surprising happened Thursday night, but the Bears practiced a wrinkle that will be new for football fans.

They, legally, used a 12th player.

Although the weather didn’t affect the game until a few hours later, the Bears practiced using a holder on one kickoff early in the game. Under the new rules — where all the players start on one side of the 50-yard line except the kicker — if it’s windy and the kicker needs someone to hold the football, the kicking team can use a 12th player.

On Thursday, punter Tory Taylor held the ball for kicker Cairo Santos. After Santos kicked the football, Taylor grabbed the tee off the grass and immediately ran off the field. The 12th man cannot do anything except hold the football and then exit the field of play.

4. Defensive highlights

There weren’t any huge highlights for the Bears defense Thursday night. Houston quarterbacks Davis Mills and Case Keenum both led touchdown drives in the first half. The Texans jumped out to a 17-7 lead.

For the Bears defense, linemen Austin Booker and Zacch Pickens saw action early in the game. Pickens had two tackles and Booker recorded one. Defensive lineman Byron Cowart had the Bears’ lone sack on Thursday night. Cowart spent last season with the Miami Dolphins practice squad and signed with the Bears as a free agent in March. That was the only quarterback hit for the Bears defense.

Linebacker Carl Jones Jr., an undrafted rookie from UCLA, led the Bears with seven tackles.

5. The offensive line and rushing attack

On the offensive line, the group that started with Bagent included Larry Borom at left tackle, Ja’Tyre Carter at left guard, Jerome Carvin at center, Matt Pryor at right guard and Jake Curhan at right tackle. None of those players is expected to be a starter in the regular season.

Carter, who has primarily been a guard during his first two NFL seasons, also played left tackle later in the game.

Behind the linemen, both running backs Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson saw action early in the game. Johnson took reps before Herbert, which was notable. Johnson ran for 24 yards on six carries, while Herbert totaled 35 yards on four carries.