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Bears at Texans: Week 1 inactives

By Russell S. Baxter

Aug 18, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) warms up before the start of the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 18, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) warms up before the start of the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here is a list of all the inactive players for the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans for their Week 1 matchup in the Lone Star State.

Talk about an intriguing interconference matchup?

You could make a case that the Chicago Bears will field the league’s most improved defensive unit from a year ago. Additions such as inside linebackers Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan, defensive end Akiem Hicks and rookie outside linebacker Leonard Floyd were positive moves for John Fox’s club.

You could make also make a case that the defending AFC South champion Houston Texans will field the league’s most improved offense.

While the focus is on new quarterback Brock Osweiler, there’s also fellow free-agent Lamar Miller in the backfield. Wideout DeAndre Hopkins is joined by rookie receivers Will Fuller and Braxton Miller. And head coach Bill O’Brien hopes to groom his young signal-caller into a season-long starter. In two season at the helm, the quarterback specialist has employed six different starter and played eight different quarterbacks. Ouch.

Both of these teams overcame sluggish starts a year ago to play better football as the season wore on. Houston overcame a 2-5 start to finish 9-7 and won the AFC South (for the third time in five years). Fox’s team was outscored a combined 105-46 during a 0-3 start but went 6-7 the rest of the way – with all but one of those losses by six points or less.

Chicago Bears

DB Deon Bush

CB Kyle Fuller

C Eric Kush

LB Nick Kwiatkoski

CB Cre’von LeBlanc

WR Cameron Meredith

DE Will Sutton

Houston Texans

G Oday Aboushi

T Duane Brown

S K.J. Dillon

DT Joel Heath

WR Keith Mumphery

LB Brennan Scarlett

QB Brandon Weeden

must read: NFL Epic Season Preview

There are high hopes for the Texans this season (picked by at least one person to win Super Bowl LI), who spent some money and made some terrific choices in the draft to establish themselves as the team to beat in the AFC South. Despite Chicago’s last-place finish of a year ago, Fox is one of the better coaches in the league and this was a club that posted a 5-3 record on the road in 2015. Look for a down-to-the-wire affair.

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