For the first time since October 2025, the Bucs are winners of two straight games. Now at 3-5 and a half-game out of first place in the NFC South, they head into their toughest test to date: a Sunday night primetime game against the 6-2 Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Tampa Bay has done well to battle back from an 0-4/1-5 start to the season, especially considering its 2-0 record within the NFC South. But the next two games – Sunday night in Chicago and Nov. 22 in Detroit after the bye week – threaten to push the team back down to two games under .500 at 3-7 unless something unexpected happens.

Granted, the Bucs have been in every game this season and certainly have it in them to beat the 6-2 Bears, 5-2 Lions or even both (???), but they’ve yet to beat a team above .500 this season and currently stand at 0-2 against the NFC North. Sunday’s game may not be make-or-break in terms of the NFC South race, but this is a chance for Tampa Bay to make a statement and assert itself as a threat in the NFC playoff picture – something no one would’ve thought after the first month and a half of the season.

Not to mention, the Bucs are actually 2-1 away from Raymond James Stadium so far this season, so a win at Soldier Field could give them a true road warriors mentality heading into Detroit in Week 11 after the Week 10 bye.

This is a big game Sunday night as the Bucs look to hit their week off as winners of three straight games. But there’s always more on the line, right? As we do every Saturday on PewterReport.com, it’s time to dive into the records and milestones on the line for Tampa Bay in this week’s game.

Bucs ILB Alex Anzalone – Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R

Last week, Alex Anzalone became the first Buccaneer since Jamel Dean (Sept. 18, 2022) and the first Buccaneer linebacker since Lavonte David (Nov. 22, 2015) to record two interceptions in a game. Not only that, but Tampa Bay recorded its first shutout since Jan. 7, 2024 and its first home shutout since Dec. 5, 2004.

On the offensive side of the ball, Bucky Irving and the rushing attack set a new single-game franchise record with 324 rushing yards. Along the way, Irving passed Errict Rhett (3,093) for the 10th-most yards from scrimmage by a running back in franchise history. Irving (170 yards) and Kenny Gainwell (140) also teamed up to mark the first time Tampa Bay has had two 100-yard rushers in the same game since Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn did so on Nov. 1, 1998 – 28 years ago to the day.

Now, let’s see where things stand heading into primetime in Week 9.

Bucs Record Watch: Week 9 at Bears

Baker Mayfield

Considering Week 8 saw Mayfield became the first quarterback since 1974 to win a game without completing a pass, all but one of the milestones from last week’s Record Watch remain in play this Sunday night in Chicago. For starters, he needs just 54 passing yards to pass Trent Dilfer (12,969) for the sixth-most in team history.

Mayfield is two touchdown passes away from joining Jameis Winston (121) and Tom Brady (108) as the only Buccaneer quarterbacks to reach 100+ passing touchdowns in their careers with the team. Two passing touchdowns would also tie Mayfield with Brady (31) for the second-most games in Bucs history with multiple touchdown passes.

No. 6 is also seven passing touchdowns away from tying Randall Cunningham (207) and moving into the top 50 in NFL history for career passing touchdowns.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mayfield is 796 passing yards away from eclipsing the 30,000-yard mark for his career. If he gets there, he’ll become the 57th quarterback in league history to reach that mark.

If Mayfield can pick up his first 250-yard passing game of the season on Sunday night, he would tie Josh Freeman (23) for the third-most 250-yard games in franchise history. A 300-yard passing game would also pull him into a tie with Vinny Testaverde (12) for the third-most 300-yard passing games in team history.

The one milestone Mayfield saw progress toward in Week 8 was in the win column. His 29th regular season win as Tampa Bay’s starting quarterback has him alone with the fourth-most in team history, and he now needs three more to tie Tom Brady (32) for the third-most.

Bucky Irving

After a record-setting day last week, Irving has a chance to make some more history this week as he returns home to Chicago. He is five receptions away from reaching 100 for his career, which is a milestone itself. There’s plenty more beyond that, too.

With two rushing touchdowns, Irving can tie Ricky Bell (16) for the 10th-most in team history.

A 100-yard rushing game would tie Irving with Mike Alstott, Ricky Bell, LeGarrette Blount, Reggie Cobb and Michael Pittman for the sixth-most 100-yard rushing games in franchise history. He would also become the first Buc to record three straight 100-yard rushing games since Ronald Jones II did it in 2020.

Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

With 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, Irving would become the first player to hit those marks in three straight games since Buffalo’s James Cook did it last year. He would also become the first Buccaneer ever to accomplish that feat within a single season.

With 150 rushing yards against the Bears, Irving would become the first player in Bucs history with consecutive 150-yard rushing games. Only Saquon Barkley, Rico Dowdle and Derrick Henry have accomplished that feat since 2024.

Chris Godwin Jr.

Godwin needs 39 scrimmage yards to reach 8,000 for his career. When he hits that mark, he’ll join Mike Evans (13,062) and James Wilder (9,449) as the only Bucs to reach that milestone with the team.

Godwin still remains four touchdowns away from passing Wilder (46) for the third-most touchdowns from scrimmage in franchise history.

Godwin also remains nine points away from passing Wilder (276) for the 10th-most of any Buccaneer.

And with three receptions, Godwin will pass DeSean Jackson for the 79th-most in NFL history.

Sunday night also marks Godwin’s 129th game with the Bucs, leaving him one behind Demar Dotson and Brian Kelly (130) for the 14th-most in franchise history.

Cade Otton

Otton is still searching for his first receiving touchdown of the season, which means he is still one away from moving past Calvin Magee and Alex Smith (11) for the seventh-most by a tight end in Bucs history and pulling into a tie for the sixth-most.

Vita Vea

Vea is 3.5 sacks away from passing David Logan (39.0) for the seventh-most in team history.

Bucs DT Vita Vea – Photo by: IMAGN Images

Sunday night will be Vea’s 121st game as a Buc, tying him with Jimmie Giles, Chidi Ahanotu and Lee Roy Selmon for the 22nd-most in team history.

Anthony Nelson

Nelson is set for his 116th game with Tampa Bay, giving him sole possession of the 27th-most in franchise history and leaving him two behind Randy Grimes (118) for the 26th-most.

David Walker

Walker needs one sack on Sunday night to tie Eric Curry (5.0 in 1993) for the third-most sacks by a Buccaneer through nine career games and two sacks to pass Curt Jarvis (5.5 in 1987-88) for the second-most. He would then trail only Santana Dotson (9.0 in 1992).

Josiah Trotter

Trotter enters Sunday night six tackles away from passing Lavonte David (67 in 2012) for the most by a Buccaneer through eight career games.

With those six tackles, Trotter would tie Devin Lloyd (68 in 2022) for the 10th-most by a player through eight career games since at least 2000.

Bucs ILB Josiah Trotter – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Seven tackles would tie Trotter with Jacob Rodriguez (69 this year) for the ninth-most, while nine would tie him with Jerrell Freeman (71 in 2012) for the eighth-most. With 11 tackles, Trotter can tie DeMeco Ryans (73 in 2006) and C.J. Mosely (73 in 2014) for the sixth-most and 15 would tie him with Luke Kuechly (77 in 2012) for the fifth-most.

At that point, Trotter would trail only Kiko Alonso (81 in 2013), Anthony Hill Jr. (82 this year), Patrick Willis (83 in 2007) and Shaq Leonard (97 in 2018).

Zyon McCollum

McCollum is one pass defensed away from passing John Lynch (42) for sole possession of the ninth-most in team history.

Antoine Winfield Jr.

Winfield is still 10.5 sacks away from passing Ronde Barber (28.0) for the most by a defensive back in Bucs history and the second-most by a defensive back in league history.

One more forced fumble can tie Winfield with David Logan and Broderick Thomas (13) for the ninth-most in franchise history.

Winfield’s next fumble recovery will also move him ahead of Lee Roy Selmon (10) for the fourth-most by a defender in Bucs history while tying him with Cecil Johnson and John Cannon (11) for the third-most.

Winfield still needs one interception to reach 10 for his career, which would make him the 16th defensive back in NFL history (since sacks became an official stat in 1982, at least) to record 500+ tackles, 15+ sacks and 10+ interceptions in a career. He would join Bill Bates, Dave Duerson, Rodney Harrison, Derwin James Jr. and Adrian Wilson as the only ones to hit those marks within their first seven seasons.

Winfield is four passes defensed away from passing Zyon McCollum and Brent Grimes (41) for the 10th-most in Bucs history and tying John Lynch (42) for the ninth-most.

Chase McLaughlin

McLaughlin, fresh off winning NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October, is five field goals away from passing Connor Barth (114) for the third-most in team history.

Bucs K Chase McLaughlin and LT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

McLaughlin also needs just 12 points to pass Barth (477) for the fourth-most in team history.

McLaughlin is three 50+ yard field goals away from passing Greg Zuerlein (49) for the ninth-most field goals from 50+ yards in league history.

Bucs Offense

With 151 rushing yards, the Bucs will pass the 2006 Jaguars (732) for the 10th-most rushing yards over a three-game span in the past 40 seasons. They need 154 to pass the 202 Bears (735) for the ninth-most, 157 to pass the 2010 Chiefs and 2011 Broncos (738) for the seventh-most, 159 to pass the 2002 Dolphins (740) for the sixth-most, 169 to pass the 2022 Bears (750) for the fifth-most and 180 to pass the 2009 Jets (761) for the fourth-most.

A 191-yard day would also push them ahead of the 2009 Jets (772) for the third-most, while 220 would move them past the 1998 49ers (801) for the second-most. The Bucs would need 231 rushing yards to pass the 2020 Ravens (812) for the most over a three-game span in the last 40 years.

Bucs Defense

If Tampa Bay comes up with another four-takeaway game in Chicago, it would become the first team since Dallas in 2021 with four takeaways in three consecutive games. That would tie the third-longest streak in NFL history and set a new franchise record.