Allowing Tampa Bay punt rushman Jeremiah George a virtual free run through the middle of protection yielded the first blocked punt of the year and gave the Buccaneers the football at the Chicago 4. One play later a team that had managed to stop an opponent’s opening drive from reaching the Chicago end zone had given up seven points on the second.
That potentially game-deciding play overshadowed otherwise solid play by special teams, which have had a spectacularly up-and-down year.
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Robbie Gould continued his “rebound” from his misses against San Francisco and Washington with conversions from 26, 27 and 50 yards, the third to put the Bears up by two scores midway through the fourth quarter.
Coverage units kept the Buccaneers contained, allowing Bobby Rainey just three total yards on two punt returns as the unit helped Pat O’Donnell drop two of his four punts inside the Tampa Bay 20. Nine of the 10 combined kickoffs by the two teams were touchbacks.
The punt block was the only Tampa Bay possession starting with field position farther out than the Bucs’ 23.
Moon's Grade: C+