Bears 27, Buccaneers 24 – Bears go to 7-2
Soldier Field, Sunday Night Football. The 6-2 Bears hosted a 3-5 team, they jumped out to a 14-0 lead, then spent most of the night handing Tampa Bay free possessions as the wheels came completely off. Caleb Williams threw four interceptions – at least three of them are his fault. The Bucs erased a double-digit deficit in the fourth, as we turned the ball over yet again in our own territory. But, somehow, Chicago still found a way to win when Cairo Santos hit a 38-yard field goal as time expired.
It was ugly, self-inflicted, and ultimately enough. Who cares – we are 7-2 going into the Bye. But let’s talk the specifics, and no, I won’t be accepting any “parlay” requests.
First Quarter: The Bears Look Like the Team We Thought They Were
Chicago opened with two touchdown drives. Williams hit Rome Odunze for a 9-yard score on the opening possession, then found Luther Burden on a short throw that turned into a 56-yard touchdown after Burden broke multiple tackles. It was 14-0 before the Bucs had done much of anything.
Observation: The offense was efficient and explosive when it was clean. Burden’s after-the-catch ability turned a routine completion into a backbreaker.
Gooch Hot Take: This is the version of the Bears that made people talk about January. We were crusing to an easy victory…until…
Second Quarter: The Interception Tour Begins
Williams threw three interceptions in the period. Tykee Smith and Zyon McCollum (twice) took turns collecting them. Tampa Bay turned the opportunities into two Chase McLaughlin field goals. Chicago managed a Cairo Santos field goal of its own. Halftime: 17-6.
Observation: The Bucs’ defense created multiple short fields and still only managed six points. Chicago’s offense stopped itself repeatedly in Bucs territory.
Gooch Hot Take: It all started with what seemed like an innocuous hand fighting situation that went a bit too long – but Zavion Thomas was flagged for it and suddently the Bears were back at the 20 instead of on the doorstep of taking a 3 touchdwon lead. A cascade of bad things happening, almost as if we had been given a gold coin from the Black Pearl’s treasure, befell the Bears. Three picks in one quarter after going most of the season without multiple interceptions in a game and suddenly a game that seemed quite in hand was suddenly looking very much in question. The Bucs’ inability to turn those gifts into more than field goals is almost as impressive in the wrong direction – this Bears defense is for real.
Gooch looking at Todd Bowles: “That may be the best pirate I’ve ever seen.”
Third Quarter: Pick-Six and a Temporary Reprieve
Tampa Bay opened the half with a drive capped by Bucky Irving’s 2-yard touchdown run, set up by a long completion to Tez Johnson, cutting the lead to 17-13. And suddenly the quiet jaunt out to sea turned into a fricking hurricaine.
No problem. We have Zavion Thomas and the weather eye. Chase McLaughlin kicked off after Bucky Irving’s touchdown run that cut the Bears’ lead to 17-13. Zavion Thomas took the kick at the Chicago 8 and returned it 91 yards (listed as ~92 in some reports), nearly reaching the end zone before being pushed out at the Tampa Bay 1 (replay might have made it a touchdown).
But then the scurvy pirates used their dark magic, and the play was nullified by an “offensive holding penalty” on Bears linebacker D’Marco Jackson. The penalty was enforced from the Chicago 30, wiping out the return. Terry on the broadcast said it was clearly not a hold.
So, Chicago started its next possession deep in its own territory instead of near the goal line. The sequence came right after the Bucs had scored to open the second half, so the nullified return kept the game tighter than it would have been. We had to punt and it seemed that the seas were broiling in favor of the Bucs.
But then, the skys parted, and Jaylon Johnson tintercepted Mayfield and returned it 67 yards for a touchdown. The Bears led 24-13 heading into the fourth.
Observation: The defense bailed out the offense again. Johnson’s return was the cleanest play of the night for Chicago.
Gooch Hot Take: A pick-six is nice. It does not erase the fact that the quarterback who was supposed to be the difference-maker had already thrown four interceptions by this point. One of them was tipped; the rest were simply available.
Fourth Quarter: The Collapse Arrives, Then the Kick Saves It
McLaughlin kicked a 35-yard field goal to make it 24-16. But still, the Bears had it all in hand. Calm seas were ahead – all we needed was to tack once or twice and the race would end. But then lightning struck once again, as Burden was struck in the helment and he lost the ball deep in Chicago territory. After yet another Chicago turnover, Irving scored again from short range. Mayfield scrambled up the middle for the two-point conversion to tie the game at 24-24.
All seemed lost. But then – the clouds parted, the sun shown down, and Colston Loveland was open like a dolphin in clear blue seas. Chicago then drove into field-goal range, and Santos connected from 38 yards as time expired for the 27-24 win.
Observation: The Bucs’ ground game stayed consistent. Irving finished with 97 yards and two touchdowns. Williams finished 22-of-37 for 279 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions. Mayfield threw two of his own but managed to avoid the volume Williams produced. The Bears’ defense and special teams ultimately outlasted the self-inflicted wounds.
Gooch Hot Take: This is what happens when you dominate a quarter and think it is the whole game. You can’t take defensive coordinators as savy as Todd Bowles for granted. Four interceptions against a 3-5 team on Sunday night is not the profile of a locked-in contender – but hey a win is a win. The Bucs deserve credit for hanging around and finishing drives late; Chicago deserves credit for making it possible—and for Santos still being able to end the night with the ball going through the uprights.
Final takeaway: Chicago looked sharp for one quarter, then spent the rest of the night donating possessions. The defense kept them in it long enough for the offense to keep shooting itself in the foot, and the kicker finished what the quarterback could not. I will say it again: a win is a win, and 7-2 is better than the alternative. It was still a messy night that a team with January ambitions was not supposed to have against Tampa Bay. The next few weeks will show whether this was an outlier or a warning. At least we have the bye. Let’s put into harbor and get a good fortnight’s rest before the next encounter.
But what do you think about the Bears thrilling victory after the Buc’s amazing comeback? Tell us in the comments below?
