The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears collide under the lights at Soldier Field on Sunday night.
Both teams enter Week 9 with plenty of momentum, but they have taken very different paths to get here.
Tampa Bay has dramatically turned its season around after an ugly 0-4 start. Baker Mayfield battled through a dislocated thumb that sidelined him for three games, but the Buccaneers have rattled off back-to-back wins since his return.
There's just one rather significant caveat: Mayfield has attempted a combined 14 passes in those victories. In fact, Tampa Bay became the first team since 1974 to win a game without completing a pass, leaning heavily on its ground game and defense. Still, the Bucs are in the thick of a wide-open NFC South, and a win tonight
would send a strong message that they're the team to beat in the division.
Standing in their way is a Chicago team that looks every bit like a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
Quarterback Caleb Williams is healthy again after missing three games earlier this season with a hamstring injury, and Ben Johnson's squad is firing on all cylinders. The Bears are fresh off a statement Monday night victory over the defending Super Bowl champions, with their defense looking every bit as dangerous as their high-powered offense. Trade acquisition defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons made an immediate impact in his debut and could be the missing piece for Dennis Allen's unit.
Chicago looks like the top team in the NFC right now, but can the Bears avoid a letdown at Soldier Field? Or will Tampa Bay continue its remarkable resurgence and make another statement?
Where to watch Bears vs. Buccaneers on 'Sunday Night Football'
- Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET
- TV channel: NBC
- Live stream: Fubo | Peacock
The Week 8 "SNF" matchup between the Eagles and Commanders will air on NBC at 8:20 p.m. ET, the customary start time for "Sunday Night Football."
Streamers looking to watch "SNF" can turn to Peacock or Fubo, which offers a free trial.
Watch 'Sunday Night Football' with Peacock
USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights, key stats and all the biggest moments as the Bears and Buccaneers battle in Week 9 on "Sunday Night Football." All times are Eastern:
What time does Bears vs Buccaneers game start?
04:00 PM ET, November 8 2026, Tom Viera- Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET
The Bears-Bucs game starts at its customary "SNF" time of 8:20 p.m. ET.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bears vs Buccaneers live updates, start time, TV channel, stream, where to watch NFL game
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