The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are heading into their biggest measuring stick yet, and they’ll get it under the lights in Chicago.
At 3-5, the Bucs travel to face the 6-2 Bears on Sunday Night Football, a prime-time chance to keep their mid-season momentum rolling against one of the NFC’s best teams. It’s the kind of matchup that tells you a lot about where a team really stands.
One reason Tampa Bay has been able to steady itself is the reliability of kicker Chase McLaughlin, who has been as automatic as it gets. He has made all 19 of his field-goal attempts this season, and he’s 17 for 17 on extra points. That production has earned him the reigning NFC Special Teams Player of the Month honor.
McLaughlin said his faith is at the center of it all.
"I mean, getting to play with just true joy, true fulfillment, true peace, just not only play but to live it out and knowing that that's available for everyone is just something I can't stress enough," McLaughlin said after Thursday’s practice.
He was quick to spread the credit around, too, saying the award belongs to far more than just the kicker.
"It's just [the] operation, Evan [Deckers] and Riley [Dixon] have done a great job," he explained. "The field goal protection has done a fantastic job, and the kickoff coverage team has done well, also.
Just being able to be a part of that has been special. The Player of the Month is as much of an award for them as it is for me too."
McLaughlin also pointed to routine as a big part of staying locked in.
"Really just trying to tie everything to a routine. See that everything stays the same," he added. "Practices, games, week in, week out has been a big part of that as well."
That same theme of leaning on the people around you showed up with NFC Defensive Player of the Week Alex Anzalone, who said the locker room and coaching staff helped the team push through its rough start.
"There's something to it about blocking the outside noise and just having the guys in the locker room and the coaches in your corner that you have to rely on and dig yourself out of that hole," Anzalone said.
For Baker Mayfield, the challenge in Chicago is clear. Tampa Bay’s offense won’t get away with the kind of night it had in Week 8’s downpour against Atlanta, when it went 0 for 3 for 0 passing yards. The Bears present a different kind of test, especially with Chicago defensive coordinator Dennis Allen built around stopping the run.
"Obviously, we're coming into it being the number one rushing offense in the league. I know they pride themselves, especially (Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator) Coach [Dennis] Allen, on stopping the run, and so it's going to be a good match-up for us," Mayfield said frankly. "We'll adjust and adapt and see how they're playing us."
Kickoff from Soldier Field is set for 8:20 p.m.
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