Sunday night’s Bears-Buccaneers matchup has all the ingredients for a wild one, even if the records don’t tell the full story. Tampa Bay’s 3-5 mark doesn’t capture how tough that team can be, especially with quarterback Baker Mayfield missing a handful of games. Chicago, meanwhile, has turned into one of the league’s most entertaining teams under Ben Johnson.
With that in mind, here are four bold calls for Week 9 on Sunday Night Football.
Jeffery Simmons is ready to make another primetime splash in just his second game with Chicago. He already made his presence felt in Week 8, and that debut gave the Bears’ defense a different edge.
Now he gets a Buccaneers offensive line that has allowed the 2nd-most sacks in the league, which sets up another huge night. Simmons will keep rolling and finish with three sacks, giving him his second regular-season game with that kind of quarterback pressure.
Chicago’s offense is also in position to do something only one other team has managed against Tampa Bay this season: put up 30 points. The Bears’ attack has the kind of firepower that can stress a defense for four quarters, and this matchup looks like one where Tampa Bay’s stout unit finally gets pushed past its limit. Chicago will become the second team to reach 30 against the Buccaneers.
Colston Loveland looks like the Bears pass-catcher most likely to take advantage of the matchup. His season started slowly, but his targets have climbed in recent weeks, and Tampa Bay has had trouble containing tight ends.
The Buccaneers have given up the 8th-most receptions and the 4th-most touchdown catches to the position. Loveland should make the most of it, posting his best game of the season with seven catches for a third straight week, 100 receiving yards and his third touchdown.
The ground game battle should tilt Chicago’s way too. Both offenses rank near the top of the league in rushing yards per game, and Bucky Irving has been on a heater, averaging 121 rushing yards over his last four games.
But Chicago’s defense has been one of the league’s best against the run, allowing the 3rd-fewest rushing yards per game. That sets up a tough night for Irving, who will be held under 100 rushing yards for the first time in three weeks.
In Other News...
Bucky Irving Faces A Run Defense That Could Define The Bucs
Bucky Irving has become a central piece of Tampa Bays rushing attack, giving the Buccaneers a more reliable ground game and helping balance an offense that has leaned on his burst and efficiency. He has averaged 5.0 yards per carry and has turned in multiple 100-yard games recently, a stretch that has made the run game look more like a strength than a supplement.
The next test comes against Chicago, and it is the kind of matchup that can say a lot about where this offense really stands. The Bears are giving up very few rushing yards overall, but they have been more vulnerable on a per-carry basis, and Tampa Bays improved offensive line will have to sort out a defensive front featuring players such as Devin Bush and Jeffery Simmons if Irving is going to keep the momentum going. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Backfield Suddenly Has A Sunday Night Fantasy Twist
Sunday nights matchup between the Buccaneers and Bears has a DFS feel to it, with the game setting up as the kind of spot where one overlooked role player can swing a lineup. Tampa Bays backfield is part of that conversation because Bucky Irving is drawing attention again, while the other side brings a running back in Kenny Gainwell who has quietly become relevant in the same conversation. Even the kickers are in play here, which says plenty about how tight this one could be from a fantasy standpoint.
Chase McLaughlin is getting a look as a captain option, and Cairo Santos belongs on the short list as well given the way both teams have been producing value through the kicking game. There is also room for Rome Odunze to matter if his usage keeps trending the right way, especially with the red-zone opportunities that can turn a modest snap count into a DFS difference-maker. For Buccaneers fans, the bigger question is whether this game stays in the range where the backfield and the special teams can decide more than the headline names. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers May Have Reached The Point Where Vita Vea Is Untouchable
With Tampa Bay back in the NFC South race, the trade deadline has taken on a different feel around One Buc Place. What might have been a time to consider selling off useful pieces now looks more like a chance to protect the roster, and Vita Vea sits near the top of that list. The veteran defensive tackle remains one of the most important players on the Buccaneers defense, the kind of interior force teams do not casually move when they still have a real shot at a division title.
Veas standing only grew stronger after he signed a one-year extension in August, and the Buccaneers are treating him like a core piece rather than a movable asset. Unless an offer comes along that is too good to ignore, Tampa Bay is expected to keep him in place and keep leaning on the presence he brings up front. For a team trying to hold its ground in a tight division, that kind of stability can matter as much as any deadline splash. [Read more 🡒]