The NFL’s preseason officially got started on Thursday night with the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. The Chicago Bears pulled off a 21-17 win over the Houston Texans at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in what ended being a shortened contest due to storms in the area. The game was called with just a few minutes left in the third quarter, which spoiled a great outing for Bears receiver Collin Johnson.
We didn’t get to see new Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, or really any of the starters who’ll start in Week 1, or even a complete game, but the matchup ahead of the enshrinement ceremony this weekend brought fans their first real taste of the sport in months — and a great look at the new kickoff rules.
New NFL kickoff rules in action
Thursday’s game looked very different from the jump.
The NFL implemented new rules for kickoffs this season in an effort to make the play safer without completely eliminating it. Only about 22% of kickoffs were returned last season, the lowest in NFL history.
And, well, the new system is a bit confusing. The kick still takes place at the kicking team’s 35-yard line, but players on the kicking team start at the opponent’s 40 and can’t move until the ball hits the ground or a player in the “landing zone,” which is the area between the goal line and the 20-yard line.
Just check out the graphic ESPN put together to try and explain it.
So, naturally, the first kickoff of the night was very strange.
This “radical” rule change is going to take some time to get used to.
Collin Johnson, Bears rally
The Texans scored first after backup quarterback Davis Mills led them on a perfect 13-play, 74-yard drive to open the game. Mills connected with tight end Teagan Quitoriano for a 9-yard touchdown, the first of the preseason.
The Texans pushed their lead to 10 after a Ka’imi Fairbairn field goal early in the second quarter. Mills was pulled after the second drive. He finished throwing 10-of-13 for 102 yards.
Chicago kept things close before halftime, thanks to an 80-yard drive that backup quarterback Brett Rypien capped with a 20-yard toss to Johnson for the Bears’ first touchdown of the night.
Case Keenum then came in for the Texans, and he promptly led them on another touchdown drive just before half. Akers hit running back Cam Akers for a 4-yard score.
The Bears quickly responded before the break to keep it a three-point game thanks to another huge touchdown pass from Rypien, who found Tommy Sweeney this time for a 22-yard touchdown.
Johnson scored again to start the action in the third quarter with another perfect grab in the corner of the end zone. That gave Chicago its first lead of the game.
Near the end of the quarter, though, rain started falling hard as the radar filled up with storms approaching the area. The NFL delayed the game for a while, and then called it.
Rypien finished throwing 11-of-15 for 166 yards with three touchdowns in the four-point win for the Bears. Johnson, who is in his second season with the Bears this fall, had 56 yards and two scores on just three catches. He signed a new one-year, $1.05 million deal with the team this past offseason. Johnson made just one catch for 11 yards in three games with the team last season.
Though the game lost steam in the second half, Bears fans got a sneak peak at the new season of HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” The trailer showed Williams telling his teammates how big his signing bonus was, which sent Tyson Bagent into a hilarious fake medical episode in his seat.
Williams, the No. 1 pick in April’s draft, will take over for the Bears this season and attempt to lead them back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Though it’ll be a while before he sees any real action — the Bears will open their season against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 8 — expectations in Chicago are higher than they’ve been in years. As we get closer to their season opener, and “Hard Knocks” gets going, those are only sure to rise regardless of what happens with the team in the rest of their preseason slate.
