BUCS vs. BEARS
WHEN: Sunday, September 17, 2023 | WHERE: Raymond James Stadium | KICKOFF: 1:00 p.m. ET | TV: FOX
PLAY-BY-PLAY: Joe Davis | ANALYSTS: Daryl Johnston | SIDELINE: Pam Oliver
RADIO: 98 ROCK 97.9 FM | PLAY-BY-PLAY: Gene Deckerhoff | ANALYST: Dave Moore | SIDELINE: T.J. Rives
Game day is approaching, and it’s time for the Pewter Report staff to make its weekly game predictions and offer up our game preview of this week’s matchup. Let us know what you think in the article comments section and add your prediction, too.
Scott Reynolds: Todd Bowles’ Defense Overwhelms Justin Fields In Bucs’ Win
The Bucs are rare favorites entering their home opener against the Bears in Week 2. Las Vegas gave Tampa Bay the edge – not just for what the Bucs did the Vikings in Week 1, beating them 20-17 as road underdogs, but also what the Packers did to the Bears. An Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay team trounced Chicago in the Bears home opener, 38-20. Justin Fields was sacked four times, fumbled and threw a pick-six, while the Chicago defense didn’t record a takeaway and only sacked Jordan Love once.
Bucs S Antoine Winfield, Jr. – Photo by: USA Today
The last time the Bucs played the Bears it was a nightmare for Fields during his rookie season. Todd Bowles got after Fields in 2021 and the Bucs defense sacked him four times and forced him into three interceptions. Look for Bowles to completely out-coach Matt Eberflus on Sunday. Eberflus is a woeful 3-15 as Chicago’s head coach. Devin White and Antoine Winfield Jr. could have big days again after great efforts in a Week 1 win.
The Bears defense lacks pass rushers up front outside of Yannick Ngakoue, who recorded Chicago’s lone sack. Ngakoue is a one-trick pony and doesn’t defend the run well, so Dave Canales would be wise to target him in the run game. Ngakoue rushed 11 times from the left side and 30 times from the right side versus the left tackle. It almost seems futile having him go up against left tackle Tristan Wirfs, so I wonder if the Bears try to match him against right tackle Luke Goedeke this week and have him play more on the left side.
The Bucs ground game needs to get going on Sunday, but it could be tough sledding against a Bears defense that is designed to stop the run, starting with two new linebackers in T.J. Edwards and Tremain Edmunds. That duo combined for 22 tackles in Week 1. Deploying White as a receiver out of the backfield against Edwards and Edmunds might be wise, as they are better in run defense than in coverage.
It may not be a 38-3 rout like it was in 2021, but I think the Bucs avoid turnovers for a second straight week and beat the Bears comfortably to move to 2-0.
REYNOLDS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 26, Bears 13
REYNOLDS’ SEASON RECORD: 1-0
Matt Matera: Bucs Smoke The Bears
It would make a statement by the Bucs to absolutely demolish the Bears in their home opener. I understand the Bears looked abysmal in their opening game of the season, but let’s not forget that many national media selected the Bucs to be a bottom five team this season.
They already upset the Vikings in Week 1, so a blowout win in Week 2 can start changing the narrative of this team. A 2-0 record heading into Monday Night Football against a 2-0 Eagles sounds like a real primetime matchup. First they have to take care of business on Sunday.
Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today
The tone has to be set by the Bucs offensive line in this game. They did a great job last week and need to continue that momentum. Chicago had just one sack and no takeaways in their first game. The only name you need to know about is Yannick Ngakoue, and if the Bears attack the right way, they’ll put him against Luke Goedeke, who held his own at right tackle.
The Bucs have a major advantage at wide receiver with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin where the Bears are already down a corner. The middle of the field is a spot the Bucs can exploit. If Tampa Bay’s offensive line holds up its end of the bargain I expect Baker Mayfield and Rachaad White to have big games.
Open-field tackling is a must for the Bucs’ defense in this one. That makes for an even further emphasis if Zyon McCollum is starting at corner to replace an injured Carlton Davis III. The Bears ran a lot of bubble screens to receivers and like to get their running backs in space, so the Bucs can stop it right away. The other big focus is obviously to keep Justin Fields in the pocket and force him to throw rather than scramble.
Tampa Bay should put Devin White as a spy on Fields, but I’m excited to see the exotic blitzes that Todd Bowles comes up with too. The Bears offensive line struggled against the blitz, so if the rotation of outside linebackers isn’t getting home, expect to see more of Antoine Winfield Jr, White and Lavonte David up at the line of scrimmage and rush the passer. The Bucs put an exclamation point on this game with a victory by a wide margin. It’s not even close.
MATERA’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 35, Bears 14
MATERA’S SEASON RECORD: 0-1
Bailey Adams: The Better Team Takes Care Of Business
I had already chalked this one up as a win for the Bucs before they went on the road and beat the Vikings and prior to the Bears’ ugly Week 1 performance against the Packers. I’m sticking with that, as I really believe this is a matchup that favors Tampa Bay.
Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Raymond James Stadium will hopefully be rocking for the home opener, and Todd Bowles’ defense should once again lead the way as it goes up against a shaky Justin Fields-led Bears offense. Fields can certainly do damage with his legs, but as long as the Bucs can limit what he does there, they’ll like their chances of stopping him — or at least containing him — through the air.
Fields is prone to turnovers, and winning the turnover battle so convincingly (3-0) was a big help for Tampa Bay in Week 1. I like this defense to rack up some sacks and force at least two turnovers, setting the offense up in a good position to win.
Speaking of the offense, I think that unit gets off to a better start in Week 2. Rachaad White should be able to get a foothold in the game a little earlier, establishing a better rushing attack this week for Dave Canales’ side of the ball.
And when it comes to the passing game, I think Mike Evans and Chris Godwin can feast against this Chicago secondary. Not only that, but with nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon hitting injured reserve, the Bucs should be able to win from the slot as well.
This is a game Tampa Bay should win — and they should win it fairly convincingly. But this is still a team that is a work in progress and there are bound to be some more growing pains this week. So, while the Bucs do get the win, I don’t think it’s as big of a margin as it would be if this team was more established.
ADAMS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 30, Bears 14
ADAMS’ SEASON RECORD: 1-0
Josh Queipo: Bucs Win Home Debut in Impressive Style
The Bears started a much-hyped season with a thud. The offense looked fragmented and uninspired while the rebuilding defense was still without a pass rush that could help force errors by Packers quarterback Jordan Love. It was the nightmare every Bears fan assumed was not possible after an off-season where they convinced themselves they were back.
Bucs OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Taking stock of where their roster is, they match up poorly across the board against the Bucs. Their pass rush is “meh” at best, making the matchup against the Bucs offensive line a push for even the most skeptical of the Bucs pass protection.
The Bears cornerback room will be without Kyler Gordon. That leaves them relying on Jaylon Johnson, who struggled in his last matchup with Mike Evans, and rookie Tyrique Stevenson.
The lone matchup that should worry the Bucs on offense is center Robert Hainsey against Bears nose tackle Andrew Billings. Hainsey has struggled to start the season and Billings is an effective force in the run game. He could single-handedly stymie the Bucs rushing attack. Still, I see Tampa Bay using its play-action passing attack to hit multiple shots behind the Bears linebackers in an offensive homecoming Bucs fans will enjoy.
On offense, the Bears have the receiving talent on paper to exploit the Bucs’ thin cornerback room. With Carlton Davis III likely out and Chris Izien’s status up in the air, Tampa Bay will have to rely on the thus-far unreliable Zyon McCollum. If the Bears can exploit this matchup with say star receiver D.J. Moore like the Panthers were able to do last year this could be a closer matchup than most think.
But I don’t trust Bears quarterback Justin Fields to pull the trigger. Instead, I see Todd Bowles utilizing inside blitzes with Shaq Barrett and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to play contain preventing Fields from getting outside the pocket where he is at his best.
QUEIPO’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 34, Bears 10
QUEIPO’S SEASON RECORD: 1-0
Adam Slivon: Bucs Bring Da Bears Down
After the Packers continued their ownership of the Bears post-Aaron Rodgers, winning 38-20, it demonstrated that the Bears have a lot of weaknesses. There was a lot of off-season hype about Justin Fields emerging as an MVP candidate and guiding the long-hibernated organization into the playoff picture. I didn’t buy it then – and after Week 1 – I buy it a lot less now.
Bucs ILB Devin White – Photo by: USA Today
For all of his success as a runner, Fields lacks the polished decision-making and pocket awareness to go through his reads, anticipate pressure, and get the ball to his receivers. The pieces are there with D.J. Moore and Darnell Mooney, but it will come down to Fields’ arm against the Bucs’ defense, and that is where Tampa Bay has the advantage.
Fields did not fare well against the Bucs last time facing a Todd Bowles-led defense as a rookie in 2021. He threw three interceptions and was held to just 38 rushing yards in a 38-3 loss. I expect the defense to apply heavy pressure on the young mobile quarterback again on Sunday.
The Bears’ offensive line is inexperienced at tackle with 2022 fifth-round pick Braxton Jones at left tackle and rookie first-round pick Darnell Wright at right tackle. Up the middle, nose tackle Vita Vea should feast against replacement-level center Lucas Patrick and command double teams. This should allow for the rest of the front seven to generate pressure, and Devin White and Antoine Winfield Jr. could again have big games on dialed-up blitz packages.
Switching over to the Bucs’ offense, there is a lot to like about their playmakers taking advantage of their opportunities. After moving the ball with more proficiency in the second half against the Vikings, it could be the beginning of the unit’s blossoming that will only continue to grow with chemistry and cohesion.
For Rachaad White, a bounce-back game is well within the cards. His name should be called on a lot to control the clock and pick up yardage with a heavy workload against a Bears’ run defense that leaves much to be desired. Cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and rookie Tyrique Stevenson are no slouches, but Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are crafty top-tier receivers who find ways to get open. Safety Eddie Jackson still patrols the Bears’ secondary, but his play has dipped some since being an All-Pro in 2018 and Pro Bowler in 2019.
Baker Mayfield showed that he can win games with his gritty play-style in Week 1, although I don’t see him needing to do as much in this one. All he has to do is limit mistakes and play within himself, which he should do enough to guide the Bucs to a 2-0 start.
SLIVON’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 27, Bears 16
SLIVON’S SEASON RECORD: 1-0
