Before the season started, a Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Chicago Bears matchup in Week Four looked to be a battle of survival for two teams hoping to stay afloat in the NFC playoff race. But now, here we are, with two first-place teams in the NFC ready to go at it. This matchup suddenly has Game of the Week fingerprints all over it. A win by either team will make the victor 3-1, and cement a first-place hold in a division that suddenly look winnable. With favored teams like the Minnesota Vikings and the Atlanta Falcons falling apart by the day, the fandoms of Chicago and Tampa Bay have realistic dreams of playoff tickets dancing in their heads.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Chicago Bears: The Game of the Week in the NFC
Chicago Bears
For the Bears, their entire season changed with the addition of Khalil Mack in the last week of training camp. A top 10 defense from a year ago has been transformed overnight into a unit that has completely dominated most of three games. To say that Mack has made every player on their defense better is an understatement. To say that Mack is off to a defensive MVP start, and has energized the Bears on that side of the football, is also an understatement. The Raiders defense ranked 26th last year with Mack. Looking back, they must have really stunk, and been void of talent. Not the Bears…
This Bears defense was among the most improved. Their most talented players, pissed off about not achieving more accolades and notoriety, not just for themselves, but falling short as a team. My Twitter war of words with Bears defensive tackle Akiem Hicks was a clue to the Bears resolve coming into the season.
Imagine the remake of the western “The Magnificent Seven.” The talent on the Bears defense had circled the wagons, and was getting ready for battle before Mack arrived. What Khalil showed in the first half of the opener against the Packers, was that he was the Gatling gun, a box full of dynamite, a flaming field of oil, and a fast horse, all in one. The Bears had the resolve, now they are pointing the league’s best defensive weapon at Tampa Bay and the phenomenon known as FitzMAGIC.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
When starting quarterback Jameis Winston was suspended by the league for the second season in a row, it appeared Tampa Bay was dealt another playoff disabling gut punch. Head coach Dirk Koetter was immediately placed on the hot seat by NFL writers. Their early schedule was daunting, traveling to New Orleans to open the season. And coming home to face Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, and perennial powerhouse Pittsburgh Steelers. Backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and Koetter weren’t having the negativity.
The Bucs worked extra hard to prepare both Winston and Fitzpatrick for the start of the regular season. It didn’t hurt to have gone through last year’s tough start after a hurricane hit Florida and wiped out week one of their season. They played the rest of last year without a bye week, identifying critical areas to be improved, when the playoffs were out of reach.
This off-season Tampa added several defensive linemen, and made a surprise move signing the top free agent center, Ryan Jensen from the Baltimore Ravens. The Bucs have come into this season knowing they would be without Winston until week four, and made pass protection a priority. Signing Jensen has improved Tampa Bay’s offensive line into one of the youngest and biggest lines in the league.
This improved line has allowed the “magic” to happen. Fitzmagic, as he is now called, has thrown for over 400 yards in the first three games of the season. This has never happened before in league history. He has also thrown for 13 touchdowns with a passing attack that has number three receiver Chris Godwin with a touchdown in every game so far. The Buccaneers top two receivers, Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson are as lethal a combination as there is in the league. Jackson has now tied the NFL record owned by Jerry Rice, for the most touchdowns over 70 yards in a career, with 23.
Momentum
The Bears unexpected addition of Mack a week before the season opened has been one of the most earth-shaking personnel moves the league has seen in decades. Not since Reggie White teamed up with Brett Favre to produce a Super Bowl win in the northern reaches of Green Bay has a single defensive player made this big of an impact, season over season. The momentum this Bears defense carries into this game is reminiscent of the out of control freight train that was the 1985 Super Bowl defense.
The Bears had defensive talent before the arrival of Mack. But he is making every Bears defensive player better, as evidenced by the play of Hicks, linebacker Danny Trevathan and cornerback Prince Amukamara. That Amukamara won’t play against Tampa Bay is a huge loss for the Bears defense. They also lost backup Marcus Cooper and are dangerously thin at the position, against a position of Buccaneers strength.
Strength vs. Strength
This is a classic matchup of the Bears defensive strength and pass rush abilities, versus the offensive line and firepower of Fitzmagic and company. The Tampa Bay running game is almost non-existent, with their starting ball carrier Peyton Barber averaging just over two yards per carry. Until the pass protection of rookie back Ronald Jones II improves, the Bucs run game will be like Jones, inactive. The game scenario unfortunately for the Bears, will be a constant aerial assault.
The Buccaneers want it that way. They will go max protect all the time, using their veteran backs and big tight ends to stifle the Bears edge pass rushers. They will use slants and double moves with the recievers to keep Bears rookie corner Kevin Tolliver II off balance and strike quickly. Corner Kyle Fuller will be forced to keep a cushion on either Evans or Jackson. Nickelback Bryce Callahan will have his hands full with Godwin and his sprinter speed. Everything will be done to either slow down Mack and the Bears pass rush, or get rid of the ball as quickly as possible. Expect the Buccaneers to go no-huddle at some point like Aaron Rodgers did.
Game Plan
In order to win, the Bears must do two things. First, they need to create turnovers, preferably a pick-six that rattles Fitzmagic. Second, the Bears must control the ball. In order to beat a team with such firepower, the Bears must keep the ball away from them, them being Fitzpatrick and Winston.
Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky brought the Bears from behind to beat the Cardinals in Arizona. It wasn’t pretty and wasn’t without criticism, but that’s a good building block for the season and his career. Now head coach Matt Nagy must turn Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen loose in order to convert third downs, and keep the ball away from Tampa Bay.
This isn’t about the playbook and the offense they are installing, which Nagy insists will take SEASON’S, not just a few games Bears fans. This is about execution now. The Bears must have a package of plays that Trubisky’s strength’s come to the forefront. They need to lean on that package, and the strength of their running game, which is averaging over 5 yards per carry, to control the game.
Remember, even if the magic runs out, Winston will be waiting to come in the game. The Bears defense will be under constant assault no matter who is quarterbacking the Buccaneers. It’s going to be a close one, and give the Bears plenty to think about and examine for their bye week after the game.
Notes
If I were betting, which I’m not, take the Buccaneers plus the points, stay away from over and the under with the Bears rookie cornerback.
Also, Buccaneers first-round pick, defensive tackle Vita Vea, will be making his first appearance of the season for Tampa Bay. Don’t underestimate his impact. He immediately becomes the youngest and biggest defensive tackle in the league. He will provide an instant impact if he is healthy.
