4 Winners and 3 Losers From Bears Week 9 Victory Over Buccaneers

The Chicago Bears got off to a hot start against Tampa Bay, but they were unable to maintain it. Caleb Williams couldn't miss a throw over the first 20 minutes, and couldn't seem to hit one from that point until the final drive of the game.

Williams threw a career-high four interceptions, and the Bears committed a season-high five turnovers. They also struggled to get much going on the ground against Tampa Bay's stout run defense.

NFL teams rarely come out on top when they commit five turnovers, but the Bears moved to 7-2 on the strength of an elite defensive performance. Cairo Santos' 38-yard game-winner helped Chicago come away with a 27-24 win.

Unsurprisingly, Williams stood out for all the wrong reasons. A few notable defenders stood out for much better reasons, though.

Winner: Devin Bush

Devin Bush making a tackle — Nov 8, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears linebacker Devin Bush (12) tackles Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) at Soldier Field. in the first half. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Devin Bush easily had his best game as a Chicago Bear against the Buccaneers. He was all over the field from the first snap and looked like a bullet shooting through gaps at the line of scrimmage. Simply put, he set the tone. That was also reflected in the box score. Bush led the team (as a linebacker should) with nine tackles and also added two pass deflections.

Even when Bush didn't make the play, he often got in the path of the ball-carrier and allowed a teammate to make a play. This was the version of Devin Bush the Bears thought they were getting when they signed him to a three-year, $30 million deal this offseason.

Loser: Zavion Thomas

Zavion Thomas on the field — Nov 8, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Zavion Thomas (13) reacts against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Zavion Thomas' unnecessary roughness penalty completely stunted the offense's momentum midway through the second quarter. The Bears would've had a second-and-goal from the six if he hadn't committed the penalty, and Williams threw an interception (only his second of the season, at that time) on the next play.

The interception obviously wasn't Thomas' fault (more on that later). Still, they wouldn't have been in that situation if he hadn't lost control of his emotions. To his credit, he had what should've been a 92-yard kick return touchdown in the third quarter. Unfortunately, it got taken away due to a pitiful (on the ref's part) holding penalty. Still, it was a performance to forget for the third-round selection.

Winner: Bears defensive line

Jeffery Simmons and Austin Booker celebrating — Nov 8, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Austin Booker (94) and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (99) react after a defensive stop against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chicago's defensive line might not have been perfect, but they held their own against one of the league's best offensive lines. It was a battle of good on good, and the Bears proved to be better for much of the contest.

Chicago finished the contest with four sacks and nearly got to Baker Mayfield on a few other plays. The Bucs stuck to their rushing attack and managed to accumulate a respectable 126 rushing yards, but they came into the game averaging a league-high 168.6 yards on the ground. It wasn't easy to find room to run against the Bears' stout defensive front.

Loser: Caleb Williams

Caleb Williams throwing the ball — Nov 8, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) drops back to pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sure, Caleb Williams made a handful of plays early against Tampa Bay, but he was also far too reckless with the football. His first three interceptions were unacceptable, and two of them came immediately after Chicago's defense made great plays to get the ball back. He couldn't capitalize on the momentum.

Williams has extreme confidence in his arm, and that's for good reason. He's one of the league's most talented signal-callers. Still, Williams has to learn that opposing defenses occasionally have the answer on a play, and a zero-yard play is much better than a turnover.

To his credit, he hit the throw on their final drive when they needed him to. It was far from his best showing, though. He'll hopefully learn from the performance.

Winner: Cam Lewis

Cam Lewis has made a strong case to remain on the field in recent weeks. He had a rock-solid performance last week against Seattle, when he displayed a level of physicality that wasn't expected from someone with his size (5'9", 183 lbs.), and he followed it up with an even better performance against Tampa Bay.

Lewis tied for second on the team with six tackles and also had an impressive interception. His versatility was also on display, as he played nickelback after Kyler Gordon briefly left the game. Even after Coby Bryant makes his debut, Lewis will still be a key player in sub packages.

Loser: Bears special teams unit

Tory Taylor punting the ball — Nov 8, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears punter Tory Taylor (19) punts the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is the second week in a row where opponents have gotten their hands on a punt. While they got lucky with a 45-yard roller last week, they weren't nearly as lucky this week. Tampa Bay got the ball at midfield after a second-quarter block.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the only negative play in the third phase. We already mentioned the ticky tack penalty that took away the 92-yard kickoff return (which is tough to pin against the unit), and Kalif Raymond also muffed a punt that he was lucky to get back on top of. They have quite a bit to figure out on special teams over the Bye Week.

Winner: Jaylon Johnson

Jaylon Johnson catching an interception — Nov 8, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson (1) makes an interception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The much-maligned Jaylon Johnson finally bounced back after a rough start to the campaign. He showed up when they needed him most and stole the momentum back for Chicago with a timely 6-67-yard pick-six late in the third quarter, giving Chicago a 24-13 lead when the Bucs were near field goal range.

Johnson also held up much better in coverage against the Buccaneers. He didn't have any coverage gaffes and seemingly didn't allow any completions in coverage. The previous criticism may have been fair, but he deserves his flowers for a strong performance on Sunday night. The Bears lose this game without his pick six.

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