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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers started the post Tom Brady era with a nice 20-17 win against the Vikings in Minnesota. Baker Mayfield had a solid debut for the Bucs, leading the team to a win despite having a tough game. The Bears are not projected to be a competitive team this season which was evident from the opening week.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Chicago Bears – game predictions
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The Buccaneers are welcoming the Bears as slight -2.5 points favorites on Sunday at the Raymond James Stadium.
Prediction 1: Buccaneers to win @ -140 (1.70)
Based on what we saw in the opening week, the odds for the Buccaneers win are pretty high. Tampa Bay managed to steal the win in Minnesota last week with a last quarter field goal. The 2018 first overall pick, Baker Mayfield had a solid game for the Bucs and Todd Bowles is happy from what he saw from his new starting quarterback. Mayfield clicked well with Mike Evans who had six receptions and Chris Goodwin who had five.
The Bears failed 38-20 at home to the Green Bay Packers and their performance did not look promising at all. The Bears have not won in Tampa Bay since 2015 and they simply do not have what it takes to end that drought on Sunday.
Prediction 2: Justin Fields over 172.5 Passing Yards @ -110 (1.90)
Justin Fields is in his third year in the league and hopes that this will be his breakthrough season. He had a tough start with the Bears in Week 1. Even though his numbers are not as bad, losing by 18 at home is not good for any quarterback’s resume. Fields had a solid 216 yards in Week 1, which is much more than his average of 149.5 last season. He was sacked four times in Week 1, something that should not happen against the Buccaneers. The Bears need Fields on top of his game if they want to stand any chance on Sunday. The 24-year-old is ready for the challenge and he will be able to deliver his portion of the work and go over 172.5 passing yards.
Buccaneers vs Bears preview – Can Chicago bounce back?
The Bears were blown out in the opening game of the season and their confidence level is questionable for Sunday’s visit to Tampa. The Buccaneers look much better on both sides of the field and are favorites to win.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers form, news and injuries
It was a big game for the Buccaneers fans last week as they had a chance to see how their new team will look in the new season. With Tom Brady out, Baker Mayfield is taking over the starting quarterback job and he was able to lead the team to a win despite limited numbers on his stats sheet. The Bucs have 13 rookies on the roster, 6 of which are undrafted, which makes them a tough team to predict.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers injury report
• LB SirVocea Dennis (Hamstring) – Out
• S Christian Izien (Concussion) – Questionable
• DT Calijah Kancey (Calf) – Out
• CB Carlton Davis III (Toe) – Out
Chicago Bears form, news and injuries
After a 3-14 record last season, things do not look promising for the Bears this time either. They stood no chance in the opener at home against the Packers.
Chicago Bears injury report
• G Nate Davis (Shoulder) – Doubtful
• CB Josh Blackwell (Hamstring) – Out
• CB Kyler Gordon (Hand) – Out
Buccaneers vs Bears head to head record
The Bears lead the all-time series against the Buccaneers 40-21, but have lost three of the last five meetings:
• 2021: Buccaneers won 38-3 in Tampa Bay
• 2020: Bears won 20-19 in Chicago
• 2018: Bears won 48-10 in Chicago
• 2017: Buccaneers won 29-7 in Tampa Bay
• 2016: Buccaneers won 36-10 in Tampa Bay
Key match details
• Date & Time: Sunday, September 17, 2023, 01:00 p.m. ET
• Venue: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida
• Where to watch match in UK: Sky Sports (TV), fuboTV, or other live stream
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