The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did plenty right on defense Sunday night in Chicago. The offense, though, never matched it, and that gap is why a night that featured five takeaways still ended with a 27-24 loss to the Bears.
Tampa Bay fell to 3-6 after a game that should have tilted its way if the offense had done more with all those extra chances. Instead, the Bucs managed only 10 points off the five turnovers their defense created, and that left the night hanging on missed opportunities.
Bucky Irving was one of the few bright spots on the offensive side, and he made the most of a game that had extra meaning for him. He punched in a touchdown on Tampa Bay’s opening drive of the second half for his sixth rushing score of the season, and he did it in his hometown of Chicago. It was his first time playing back home, and he followed that with another touchdown to tie the game with just under three minutes remaining.
On defense, Zyon McCollum turned a rough opening stretch into a strong finish. Rome Odunze got to him early, but McCollum answered with two interceptions off Caleb Williams.
The picks only produced three points for Tampa Bay, yet McCollum still did his part by creating the kind of turnovers the Bucs needed to stay in it. He finished with six total tackles and three solo tackles, and he had the first interception of the night.
With Antoine Winfield Jr. leaving with an ankle injury, McCollum stepped into a bigger role and delivered one of Tampa Bay’s best defensive performances.
The bigger problem for the Bucs came from the sideline and the offense. Todd Bowles’ choices loomed large, starting with a fourth-and-four at Chicago’s four with 14:07 left in the second quarter.
He chose a field goal, even though ESPN’s analytics model said Tampa Bay’s win probability would have gone up by two percent if the team had gone for it. Then, late in the half, Bowles opted for another field goal from inside the five with three seconds left, leaving the Bucs down 17-6 at the break.
That conservative approach fed into a night where offensive coordinator Zac Robinson never seemed to find the right rhythm. The run game felt like a habit more than a weapon, and when Tampa Bay needed the passing game to open up, Robinson couldn’t scheme enough help for Baker Mayfield to push the ball downfield. The false starts along the offensive line only made things messier, and that’s been a recurring issue all season.
Mayfield, meanwhile, had his first game since returning from injury where he really had to throw it around, and it went poorly. He threw two interceptions, including one that was returned for a Bears touchdown, and Tampa Bay had four turnovers overall while getting only three points out of them. He didn’t protect the ball, and that cost the Bucs in a game where every possession mattered.
The defense did its job. The offense didn’t. And for Tampa Bay, that was enough to turn a night full of takeaways into another loss.
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 About To Face Chicago's Toughest Test Yet
Sunday nights matchup with Chicago comes with a little more intrigue than the usual prime-time measuring stick, because the Bears are being framed as a team that could push Tampa Bay in ways few opponents have managed this season. The case for Chicago starts with its defense, where Jeffery Simmons is being projected for a disruptive night up front, and it extends to a Bears offense that could finally find some rhythm against a Buccaneers unit that has generally been hard to crack.
The bigger question is whether Tampa Bay can answer with its own identity intact, especially if the Bears turn this into a game where the Bucs are forced out of their comfort zone. Colston Loveland is also being pegged for his best outing of the year, which would only add to the pressure on a Buccaneers defense already facing a tough test, and the outcome may hinge on whether Chicago can keep Bucky Irving from getting loose on the ground. [Read more 🡒]