The Chicago Bears somehow snatched a 27-24 victory from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but let’s be real, that score is straight up deceptive. This game was a fumble-and-pick fest, with Baker Mayfield and Caleb Williams combining for a mind-boggling six interceptions. That’s the most combined picks by two quarterbacks in a single game all season, folks. Chicago survived despite giving the ball away five times, needing a game-winning field goal as time expired to claw their way to a 7-2 record, leaving the Bucs sitting at a dismal 3-6. This one was a wild ride, and honestly, the Bears got away with murder.
Caleb Williams’ Wild Ride: From Touchdowns to Turnovers and Back
Caleb Williams’ night was a total rollercoaster, showcasing the best and absolute worst of the guy. He kicked things off like a superstar, throwing for 105 yards and two touchdowns on the Bears’ first two drives. He connected with Rome Odunze and Luther Burden for those scores, giving Chicago a sweet 14-0 lead. Then, after what felt like an eternity of struggles, he turned it on again for the final drive, delivering the biggest play of the night: a 38-yard gain to Colston Loveland. He completed 3 of 4 passes for 52 yards on that crucial possession, setting up Cairo Santos for a 38-yard field goal as time expired to clinch the win.
But let’s not gloss over the middle part. Outside of those three drives, Williams had the worst game of his NFL career, period. He went 13 of 25 for a mere 122 yards and a career-high four interceptions. He’s never thrown more than two picks in a game before, so this was a new, ugly low. The craziest part? The Buccaneers could not, for the life of them, make those turnovers count. The first three picks only led to three points for Tampa Bay, and the fourth one was immediately followed by a Bears pick-six! Essentially, the Bucs got minus-4 points from four turnovers. That’s not just luck, that’s highway robbery.
Tampa Bay’s Missed Opportunities and Mayfield’s Misfires
Speaking of the Buccaneers, their inability to capitalize on Chicago’s self-inflicted wounds is just mind-boggling. Baker Mayfield was back in action after missing three games with a thumb injury, and his return had been super limited. He threw just 11 passes in a win against the Carolina Panthers and had zero completions in a shutout victory against the Atlanta Falcons last week. This game, though, they knew he’d have to throw, and man, we saw it all.
Mayfield had some flashes of brilliance, like a 44-yard bomb to running back Kenneth Gainwell and a 57-yard deep ball to receiver Tez Johnson. These were big-time throws! But then, the costly errors. He threw two crucial interceptions, with the second one being a dagger. Bears corner Jaylon Johnson scooped it up and took it 67 yards to the house for a touchdown, directly after Williams threw his fourth pick of the day. Talk about a gut punch. Mayfield had actually done a pretty good job of keeping his turnovers in check since Week 1, when he coughed up three fumbles in the opening loss. But Sunday night, the good didn’t outweigh the bad.
This game was a pure anomaly for the Bears. NFL teams throwing four or more interceptions were 2-73 since 2014 before this stunner. Chicago got away with it, but their turnover problem is a blinking red light. They committed only 11 turnovers all of last season when they won the NFC North. This year? They’re already at 16. That kind of sloppy play is going to catch up to them, especially against tougher competition. This wasn’t a sustainable way to win, and they’ve got to fix it fast if they want to keep that record looking pretty.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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