Get ready for an old-school NFC Central showdown. Not many of us are old enough to remember when the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were division rivals.
And I don’t really think this game is going to be like those old battles. In those days, the Bucs were usually not very good. And in the years where they were good, by the late ‘90s, the Bears were lousy.
The matchup this Sunday should be a good game. The Bucs’ defense is very good by DVOA and several other metrics. The Bears’ offense has
been playing great, putting up points on everyone.
So what’s it going to take for Chicago to go into their bye week on a four-game winning streak? We asked our team.
Sam: The Bucs have a top-5 defense. They’ve also played some weird games that can be criticized, not unlike some of Chicago’s early-season results. They played in an absolute monsoon and didn’t need to complete a pass. The week prior, they took advantage of the Panthers’ run defense and could again give Baker a week off. If the Bears play their game — sustain drives, score early and often — the Bucs will have a hard time playing from behind. If the Bucs can shut down the Bears’ average-looking run game and Mayfield can actually complete passes, then it will be a close one.
Jeff Berckes: Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen have done a great job overall this season creating game plans that put the Bears in a great position to succeed. The Bucs are a team the Bears should beat as long as they don’t experience a letdown after the big road win in Seattle and peeking ahead to the bye. This is a straightforward “keep building” game for Caleb and the offense by grinding the Bucs defense to a fine dust with long drives until the explosives break the game open. On defense, I expect Dennis Allen to continue his weaponization of his early Christmas present, Jeffery Simmons, and playing off the havoc he creates. This is a “don’t get cute, keep the foot on the gas” game for me.
Josh: The Bucs crushed the Falcons on the ground, which should serve as a warning sign for the Bears, who lack PFF all-pro Gervon Dexter. More seriously, the Bears are still struggling against the run, and their corners are suspect, so they need to focus on play disruption on defense. Dennis Allen needs to keep mixing it up to unsettle Baker Mayfield. On offense, Caleb just needs to Caleb it and Ben just needs to stay aggressive.
ECD: Offense: Repeat the same game plan as the one executed against the Seahawks and let Caleb Williams cook. The Bucs’ EPA numbers are very impressive, but I’m not terrified of this defense. Especially since their best player in YaYa Diaby will be out due to his MCL sprain.
Defense: A much easier assignment as the Bucs rank in the bottom third of the league in most statistical categories. Let the front four led by Jeffery Simmons and a recharged Montez Sweat destroy their game plan before it even has a chance to get going.
Special Teams: Don’t take any unnecessary risks. The Bucs’ special teams unit might be the best in the league, particularly in kick coverage.
What do you think are the keys to the game? Are you worried about the Bucs’ defense?
