Cairo Santos kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired, and the Chicago Bears survived five turnovers, including a career-high four interceptions by Caleb Williams, to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-24 on Sunday night, November 8, at Soldier Field.
Chicago improves to 7-2 with its fourth straight win. It was the first time since a 23-13 victory over Minnesota on December 3, 2006, that the Bears won a game in which they gave the ball away five or more times. Tampa Bay falls to 3-6 and heads into its bye week having blown a two-score lead and then failed to hold a tie in the final three minutes.
Fast start, then a pile of giveaways
The Bears scored on their first two possessions. Williams found a wide-open Rome Odunze for a 9-yard touchdown on the opening drive, and then Luther Burden III turned a short third-and-8 catch into a 56-yard touchdown by breaking two tackles, making it 14-0 with 6:00 left in the first quarter.
From there Chicago kept handing the ball back. Williams was intercepted on each of the next two Bears drives, Zyon McCollum finishing the night with two picks and Tykee Smith adding another. Chase McLaughlin hit a 27-yard field goal early in the second quarter, Santos answered from 25 yards, and McLaughlin made a 21-yarder on the final play of the half to cut it to 17-6. Tez Johnson’s 58-yard catch early in the third quarter set up Bucky Irving’s 2-yard touchdown run, and suddenly it was 17-13.
Jaylon Johnson’s pick-six swings it
Williams threw his fourth interception with 4:38 left in the third quarter, a deflected pass intended for Burden that Alex Anzalone caught and returned to the Chicago 37. The Bears gave it right back to themselves. On the next snap, Baker Mayfield threw for tight end Cade Otton, and cornerback Jaylon Johnson jumped the route at the Chicago 33 and ran 67 yards the other way for a touchdown. It was Johnson’s first interception of the season and the second pick-six of his career, and it made the score 24-13.
Mayfield said afterward that the play “obviously was the difference in the game.” The Chicago pass rush took over for most of the fourth quarter, with Montez Sweat, Austin Booker, Jeffery Simmons and others combining for four sacks of Mayfield. Simmons got one in his first home game since arriving in a trade with Tennessee.
A late tie, then Loveland and Santos
McLaughlin’s 35-yard field goal with 11:24 left made it 24-16. With Chicago trying to run out the clock, Burden caught a short pass on third down at his own 15 and was hit by rookie Rueben Bain Jr., who forced a fumble that Ifeatu Melifonwu recovered and returned to the Bears 17. Burden left with a concussion. Irving went in from 6 yards out two plays later, and Mayfield scrambled up the middle for the two-point conversion to tie it 24-24 with 2:51 to go.
Williams did not flinch. On second-and-9 from his own 46 in the final minute, he hit tight end Colston Loveland, who was wide open, for a 38-yard gain to the Tampa Bay 16. Williams knelt twice to center the ball and run the clock, and Santos made the winner as time ran out in front of 60,470 fans. “I don’t get gun shy. That’s not me. That’s not my identity,” Williams said.
The numbers
- Caleb Williams: 22 of 37 for 279 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions, sacked once.
- Luther Burden III: seven catches for 97 yards and a touchdown before leaving with a concussion. Odunze had four catches for 60 yards and a score, and Loveland had four for 54.
- Baker Mayfield: 18 of 32 for 243 yards and two interceptions, sacked four times. He also ran in the tying two-point conversion.
- Bucky Irving: 20 carries for 97 yards and two touchdowns, plus four catches.
- Defense: Tampa Bay intercepted four passes (McCollum two, Smith and Anzalone one each) and recovered a fumble. Chicago’s Devin Bush led all players with nine tackles; Cam Lewis also intercepted Mayfield.
- Kicking: McLaughlin was 3 for 3 on field goals; Santos was 2 for 2 with the game-winner.
- Team totals: Tampa Bay outgained Chicago 352-349 and held the ball for 32:52, but went 2 of 12 on third down. The league’s two best rushing teams entering the week were held to 126 (Tampa Bay) and 72 (Chicago) yards on the ground.
What it means
Bears coach Ben Johnson acknowledged it is “hard to win with five turnovers,” but his team keeps finding ways at 7-2. Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said his team was “on our heels” early before the younger players settled in. Tampa Bay lost safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to an ankle injury in the second quarter, and Chicago cornerback Tyrique Stevenson hurt his thumb.
What comes next
Both teams have a bye in Week 10. Tampa Bay visits the Detroit Lions on November 22, and Chicago hosts the New Orleans Saints the same day.
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