Sunday | 1:00 ET
Week 1 was a much different experience for these two teams. The Buccaneers were able to head into Minneapolis and shut down a flashy Vikings offense, ultimately securing a victory. Meanwhile, the Bears were busy getting demolished by the new-look Green Bay Packers. This is a very important game for Chicago. With a trip to Arrowhead Stadium looming in the distance, they need to grab a win in Tampa to avoid a catastrophic start to the season. The sentiment around the Bears fanbase is not good, but could be improved with a win on Sunday. As for the Buccaneers, they are coming off of a gritty road win in their first game without Tom Brady since 2019. Losing to Chicago at home would certainly sour the start of their season.
Though the offense is shaky with Baker Mayfield under center, the Buccaneers have a strong defense. The centerpiece is the secondary, which finished 9th in PFF coverage grade last season. The unit as a whole is made up of sure tacklers. One thing that stood out from their Week 1 performance, it would be the way that they were attacking the ball. They were hitting hard. This gritty style of defense is exactly what allowed them to slow down the Vikings.
Led by Todd Bowles, Tampa blitzes a lot. Bears OC Luke Getsy needs to install quick passing plays to allow Justin Fields to beat the Bucs on 3rd down. It should also be noted that the Bears offensive line played badly Week 1. If they look the same Week 2, Justin Fields could be in for a long day. Tampa also boasts a strong rush defense, so it will be interesting to see if the Bears run game will be able to get anything going. Chicago relies on producing yardage on the ground, so this battle could be integral to the outcome of the game.
On the other side of the ball, the Buccaneers will probably take on a run-first approach considering the Bears’ weaknesses. Although Aaron Jones had no issues during Week 1’s matchup in Chicago, Rashaad White isn’t quite on the same level. It will be interesting to see how well the Bucs can move the ball on the ground. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Mayfield take several deeps shots with Mike Evans. The Bears have virtually no pash rush, which will allow plenty of time Mayfield to wait for plays to develop downfield. If he hits them, the Tampa could put up some points on Sunday.
Ultimately, Tampa probably has the slight edge on paper. However, I think that Justin Fields is going to show out, and DJ Moore will have his first big performance as a Bear. He dominated the Buccaneers when he was a Panther, posting 186 yards and 2 touchdowns on 13 catches in his two games against them last season. Also, one more week of practice for the offensive line could be big for a unit that has rarely played together.