Sunday night in Chicago turned into a mess of giveaways, and somehow the Bears still walked away with the win.
Caleb Williams and Baker Mayfield came into Week 9 having combined for just three interceptions across 10 games this season. By the time the Bears beat the Buccaneers 27-24 on “Sunday Night Football,” the two former No. 1 picks had matched that total twice over, with six interceptions between them in a wild, back-and-forth game.
Williams had been one of the cleanest quarterbacks in football through the first month of the season, with only one interception before facing Tampa Bay. That changed fast. Early in the second quarter, with Chicago backed up near its own goal line, Williams tried to force a throw to the end zone on 2nd & Goal and Tykee Smith came away with the first pick of the night.
The next one came just minutes later. After a Buccaneers turnover on downs, Williams threw another interception, this time to Zyon McCollum. The second quarter only got stranger from there, because McCollum struck again right before halftime, diving for a ball that was confirmed after review.
Williams’ fourth interception was the most frustrating of the bunch. Looking for Luther Burden in the third quarter, the pass bounced off Burden and popped into the air, where Alex Anzalone was waiting to make the play. It was the first four-interception game of Williams’ NFL career.
Mayfield had his own rough stretch. He entered the night having not thrown multiple interceptions in a game since last December against the Dolphins, but Chicago made him work for everything. Late in the first half, while targeting Tez Johnson, Mayfield was picked off by Cam Lewis.
The bigger swing came in the third quarter. Right after Williams’ fourth interception, Mayfield tried to hit Cade Otton on a short throw, but Jaylon Johnson jumped the route, grabbed the ball and took it the other way for a pick-six. That score pushed the Bears to a two-touchdown lead and made it the sixth interception of the game between the two teams.
Even then, the Buccaneers weren’t done. With under four minutes left, Reuben Bain delivered a huge hit on Luther Burden that forced a fumble and sent the receiver to the locker room with an injury.
Tampa Bay recovered with the Bears still up eight, and Mayfield helped drag the game back to level. Bucky Irving punched in a touchdown, then Mayfield ran in the two-point conversion to tie it at 24.
Chicago still had one more answer. Williams and the Bears put together a 49-yard, eight-play drive, highlighted by a 38-yard completion to Colston Loveland, and Cairo Santos finished it off with the game-winning field goal.
The Bears survived five turnovers, nine penalties and a blown late lead to move to 7-2.
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Buccaneers Wasted A Rare Edge And Now The Offense Is Under Fire
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Bucs Backfield Suddenly Has A Sunday Night Fantasy Twist
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Kenny Gainwell and Bucky Irving are the names drawing the most attention in the backfield discussion, especially after Gainwells recent workload spike and strong rushing performance. On the other side of the ball, Rome Odunze remains a player to watch because his snap share and red-zone involvement can turn a modest role into DFS value quickly, which is exactly the kind of wrinkle that can shape a Sunday night lineup. [Read more 🡒]