Bears Host Buccaneers With 6.5-Point Home Edge
Chicago seeks a fourth straight primetime victory while Tampa Bay’s passing game remains limited by injury and strategy.
By Lucas Navarro ·
The Chicago Bears are favored by 6.5 points when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football at Soldier Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET. The total points line for the contest is set at 47.5.
Chicago enters the game with a three-game winning streak and five victories in its last six matchups. The team defeated the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, 34-17 on Monday night. Tampa Bay has won three of its last four games, including a 16-0 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
The Buccaneers’ recent win featured one of the most unusual statistical outcomes in modern NFL history. Tampa Bay recorded zero pass completions, a feat last achieved by the Buffalo Bills in 1974. Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw only three passes in the rain-soaked game. Instead, the Bucs rushed for 324 yards, a franchise record.
The Bears have bolstered their defensive line with the acquisition of Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans. Simmons made his Chicago debut against Seattle, recording six tackles, one sack, and two tackles for a loss. Chicago currently leads the league in average time of possession. The team also holds the second-best defensive third-down percentage since 2000, at 23.8.
SportsLine expert R.J. White cited the Bears’ defensive stability as the primary reason for his pick. “The lookahead for this game was also Bears -6, and I'm more a believer that the Bears are an elite team with Jeffery Simmons stabilizing the defense,” White said. He noted that while the Buccaneers’ defense has been strong, Chicago’s performance against Seattle suggests scoring should be possible.
Mayfield’s passing numbers have been minimal since his return from a dislocated thumb. He has thrown a combined 14 passes for 64 yards in his last two games. He will play without wide receiver Jalen McMillan, who is managing a knee sprain. The SportsLine model projects Mayfield to complete 18 of 28 passes for 191 yards.
The Bears are attempting to win four consecutive primetime games for the first time since 2013. The Buccaneers will rely on their rushing attack to move the ball against the strengthened Chicago defense. The game airs on the network’s Sunday Night Football slot.
