Buccaneers vs. Bears Score Prediction for NFL Week 9 (Can Bucs Cover in Primetime?)

Sunday Night Football in Week 9 of the 2026 season features two intriguing NFC teams that have changed their playoff fortune in recent weeks.

Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears have won three games in a row since the star quarterback returned from a hamstring injury, blowing out the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night in Week 8. The Bears are now 6-2 and in the driver’s seat to make the playoffs in the NFC with the halfway point of the season nearing.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay is 2-0 since quarterback Baker Mayfield (thumb) returned to action and 3-1 over the last four weeks after an 0-4 start. The Bucs are set as underdogs in this matchup, but their defense (No. 1 in EPA/Play this season) may be one of the best options to slow down this high-octane Bears attack.

Tampa Bay is only a half game out of the NFC South lead, and a win over the Bears would do wonders for this team’s playoff chances. Can Mayfield and Co. make it happen on the road?

All season long, the SI Betting team is predicting the final score of NFL games, a fun way to help bettors decide on spread, moneyline and total wagers each week. Plus, we may hit an exact score in the process!

Both of these teams are in the mix to win their divisions in the 2026 season, but who will come out on top in Week 9? Here’s a breakdown of my score prediction for Sunday Night Football.

Buccaneers vs. Bears Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Bucs +6 (-108)
Bears -6 (-112)

Moneyline

Bucs: +240
Bears: -298

Total

47.5 (Over -105/Under -115)

The total in this game jumped a point from opening at 46.5, and the Bears remain clear favorites at home after a commanding win over Seattle in Week 8. Chicago is a perfect 4-0 in games that Caleb Williams has started and finished this season.

Buccaneers vs. Bears Score Prediction

Each week, SI Betting’s Iain MacMillan picks every single game in his Road to 272 column, and he’s targeting Tampa Bay to win as an underdog in this matchup on Sunday night:

You can win a lot of games in the National Football League if you can run the ball effectively and play elite defense, and that's exactly what the Buccaneers have been doing. In fact, they shut the Falcons out last week without completing a single pass.

They now enter this week ranked inside the top seven in every rushing metric, second in opponent EPA per play, and third in opponent success rate. We don't currently know what sort of form Baker Mayfield is in, but if he's in peak form when the Bucs need him to take to the air, Tampa Bay is going to be an extremely dangerous team.

I have little bad to say about the Bears, who have proven me wrong about my preseason evaluation of them. What I do think is that this is a sell-high spot on a short week after an emotional win on Monday Night Football.

MacMillan may think this is an upset spot for the Bucs, but the Bears have been one of the best offenses in the league when Williams is healthy and are 4-0 straight up when he starts and finishes a game this season.

I think there’s a path for Tampa Bay to cover – it does have the No. 1 defense in the league in EPA/Play – but I’m taking the Bears to win this game at home. Mayfield’s lack of passing the last two weeks is certainly a concern when assessing how well he’s recovered from a thumb injury that cost him multiple games.

Final Score Prediction: Bears 23, Bucs 20

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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