A win is a win, and the Bears will gladly take this one after barely slipping past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-24 in a game that was messy, tense, and far closer than Chicago probably wanted.
Todd Bowles’ group kept coming all afternoon and never acted like a team willing to fold. Chicago, meanwhile, made life harder than it needed to with sloppy execution and turnovers, but still found a way to finish the job.
That’s the headline here: the Bears weren’t sharp, yet they still walked out with a victory. And with that in mind, there were a few clear standouts - and a few guys who’d probably rather move on to next week.
Rome Odunze was one of the bright spots. Chicago has clearly been trying to help him shake off his slump, and while the results weren’t perfectly clean, there were signs it’s starting to click.
The former first-round pick finished with four catches on seven targets for 60 yards and a touchdown. He also had a chance at an even bigger play, but a potential scoring catch slipped right through his hands.
That’s been the story with him at times: brilliant one snap, frustrating the next.
Jaylon Johnson delivered the kind of performance the Bears needed from him. He read Baker Mayfield perfectly, jumped a pass, and turned it into both his first interception of the season and his first defensive touchdown. Johnson looked like his old All-Pro self again, allowing just one catch on five targets for six yards while matching up with Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin, and Cade Otton.
Austin Booker also made his presence felt. He’s starting to look like a player who’s growing into something bigger, and he was disruptive throughout the game. He was flagged for a facemask on what would have been a game-sealing sack, but outside of that, he was excellent.
On the other side of the ledger, D’Andre Swift had a rough afternoon. The Bears largely scrapped the run game, whether because Tampa Bay’s defense shut it down or because Ben Johnson got tired of watching Swift run into traffic and go nowhere after contact.
Kyle Monangai is expected back next week, and Swift hasn’t been efficient in his absence, even after last week’s three-touchdown performance. He’s still getting his touches, especially with Roschon Johnson seemingly fading out of the picture.
Caleb Williams was the biggest concern of the day. He had a game full of risky throws and poor decisions, and the Buccaneers made him pay for it.
Williams threw four interceptions, including two straight at one point, and his first pick came in the red zone when Chicago looked ready to pull away early. He still finished 22 of 37 for 279 yards and two touchdowns, but the turnovers nearly flipped the whole game.
Ben Johnson lands on the losers side too, mostly because the Bears’ offensive approach got strange. Chicago went away from the run even while holding a double-digit lead, and Williams was put in tough spots more than once.
Johnson usually looks like the guy with all the answers, but this was one of those days where his plan seemed to work against him. Maybe he was making a point.
Maybe he didn’t trust the backs against Tampa Bay’s front seven. Either way, it was one of the rare times he looked out of sync.
In Other News...
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Luther Burden Injury Suddenly Puts Bears Passing Game In Question
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Burden was helped off the field and taken to be examined by medical staff, leaving the Bears with a new question about how much of their aerial plan can survive without him. For a team that had leaned on his production in the moment, the concern now is not just the turnover or the missed snaps, but what his absence could mean for the rest of the passing game if he is unable to return. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Win Raises Big Questions About Caleb Williams And Ben Johnson
The Bears came out of Sunday night with a win over Tampa Bay and a 7-2 record, but the victory did not quiet the questions swirling around Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson. Williams helped Chicago get off to a strong start before the offense lost its rhythm, and the game quickly turned into a reminder that even in a statement win, the Bears are still searching for more consistency from their young quarterback and their new coach.
Johnsons play-calling drew plenty of scrutiny as the night wore on, especially the way the run game faded from the plan. Devin Bush stood out on defense and helped steady that side of the ball, while Salvon Ahmed got on the field and Roschon Johnson did not play on offense, a usage pattern that only added to the conversation about how this offense is being managed. [Read more 🡒]