Buccaneers vs. Bears: Will Khalil Mack stop Fitzmagic for good?
Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers still look formidable, but will Khalil Mack and the Chicago Bears be able to stop the magic in Week 4?
Two of the biggest storylines of the young 2018 NFL season will clash on Sunday in Week 4 action. After acquiring Khalil Mack via trade prior to the start of the regular season, the Chicago Bears have been formidable on defense en route to a 2-1 record. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sport an equal record, in large part due to the phenomenal play of Ryan Fitzpatrick.
As these two teams meet at Soldier Field, Mack and the Bears defense will be a big focal point. They have consistently harassed every offense that they’ve been put up against thus far. With Fitzpatrick showing some cracks in the FitzMagic early last week before rebounding to try and mount a comeback, they hope to fully break him.
Having said that, the Buccaneers’ offensive success with Fitzpatrick is also due to the litany of weapons that they possess. Mike Evans, a reborn DeSean Jackson, second-year wideout Chris Godwin and tight end O.J. Howard have given this Tampa Bay offense options to put up points on any defense. Even with a talented Chicago defense, they have the talent to still win.
Perhaps the biggest key on Sunday afternoon in Chicago will be Mitchell Trubisky and the Bears offense, though. The second-year quarterback is off to a slow start in new head coach Matt Nagy’s offense. Having said that, Tampa’s defense hasn’t been at the level of their offense. Simply put, they’ve needed FitzMagic to be on because they’ve had to outscore opponents.
In a favorable matchup, all eyes will be on Trubisky to try and take a step forward. The opportunity is there and the weapons like Allen Robinson and Jordan Howard are too. It’s all about the quarterback starting to come into his own, if he’s ever going to.
TV and Live Stream Info
Date: Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018
Start Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Location: Chicago, IL
Stadium: Soldier Field
TV Info: FOX
Live Stream: FuboTV, NFL Sunday Ticket
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Playing at home, the Bears are the slight favorites in this matchup. It’s clear that, even after three impressive overall weeks, the oddsmakers still don’t know fully what to make of this Buccaneers team.
Betting Odds (via Odds Shark)
Point Spread: Chicago -3
Moneyline: Chicago -155, Tampa Bay +135
Over/Under: 46
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Prediction
When it comes down to it, I believe in this Bears defense a great deal. With Mack in the fold, they have made it clear that they are one of the best overall units in the league. And as good as Fitzpatrick has been to this point, I think Chicago can cause him problems at Soldier Field. With that and Buccaneers defense that is still trying to find its footing, the home team comes away moving to 3-1 on the season.
Final Score: Tampa Bay 17, Chicago 24