Only in the NFC South can a 2-8 record still have you in the hunt for the division title and a playoff appearance. The last-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers are only two games behind the divisional leaders the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints with two divisional games left against Carolina and New Orleans. To start their effort in catching up, they’ll need to take care of the Chicago Bears first. Can the Bucs show consistency with another strong effort?
Need more NFL action to satisfy your football needs? Check out our complete picks and predictions for Week 12 as well as the big Cowboys vs. Giants game for Sunday Night Football.
[sc:Football ]Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Chicago Bears Preview
Where: Soldier Field, Chicago
When: Sunday, November 23, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+6) at Chicago Bears (-6); total 46.5 – view all NFL lines
Betting on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rookie wide receiver Mike Evans was sensational in Tampa Bay’s 27-7 rout of the Washington Redskins Sunday. Evans had seven catches for 209 yards and two touchdowns of 36 and 56 yards. He became the first rookie with 200 yards receiving and two scores since 2003, and is the first rookie to post three consecutive 100-yard games with at least one touchdown in each since Randy Moss in 1998.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Evans accounted for 73 percent of quarterback Josh McCown’s 288 passing yards against the Redskins. With McCown and Evans connecting so well, you can count on head coach Lovie Smith to formulate a game plan to exploit Chicago’s leaky pass defense, which has allowed an average of 256.4 yards.
The Bears may also be vulnerable to deep passes having given up the fifth-most completions of over 20 yards (37) as well as the fifth-most completions of 40 yards or more (nine), areas where McCown and Evans should be at their best. The two have connected on three scoring passes of over 20 yards in the past two games.
It wasn’t only Evans who had a big day, though. Tampa Bay’s defense also showed up as it limited Washington to a single touchdown in the contest and forced three turnovers. Tampa Bay’s pass rush was also at its best with six big sacks on Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III.
The pass rush duo of defensive end Jacquies Smith (three sacks) and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy (6.5 sacks) will need another big game as they take on Chicago’s offensive line, which has allowed 2.2 sacks per game.
The total has gone under in the Bucs’ last four games.
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Betting on the Chicago Bears
A well-rounded offensive onslaught led the Chicago Bears to a 21-13 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Jay Cutler threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns, Alshon Jeffery had 135 yards receiving and a touchdown and Matt Forte ran for 117 yards on 26 carries.
The Bears’ offense has another chance to shine in Week 12 against the Bucs. Tampa Bay has given up 384.3 total yards this season, the sixth-most in the league.
However, it wasn’t all roses in Chicago’s win over Minnesota. Cutler also threw two interceptions in the game. He’ll need to be more wary of his passes as Tampa Bay’s defense has six picks in their last four games, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
Nevertheless, Cutler will have plenty of options in his receiving corps. Jeffery leads the team with 761 yards, while Martellus Bennet (five) and Brandon Marshall (eight) have scored 13 of the team’s 21 receiving touchdowns. Running back Forte also gets it done through the air with 575 yards and three touchdowns this season. Having so many options should be able to open up Cutler’s passing game to exploit Tampa Bay’s pass defense, which has allowed an average of 266.1 yards.
On the other side of the ball, the Bears have one of the best pass rushers in defensive end Willie Young, who has eight sacks this season (11th in the NFL). He should be able to put some pressure on Tampa Bay’s McCown in the pocket to cause some errant passes. The Bears also have a talented rookie in cornerback Kyle Fuller (three interceptions and three forced fumbles), who can shadow the Bucs’ explosive receiver Evans.
The Bears are 1-3 ATS in their last four games.
Writer’s Prediction
The Bucs (+6) roll with their momentum as they take a close game from the Bears.
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