The Chicago Bears did not look like the well-oiled machine that fans have seen over the last three weeks, but they got the job done in Week 9 with the 27-24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It was as ugly a game as any in a long time, with the Bears turning the ball over five times. Chicago created two turnovers of their own, including a pick-six by the defense, to secure the win heading into the bye week.
This is the kind of game that might have been ugly overall, but there are plenty of winners to pick from. Here are the biggest winners and losers from the Bears' win over the Buccaneers.
Winners and losers from Bears' Week 9 showdown against the Buccaneers
Winner: Cam Lewis, DB
Lewis doesn't often make this list, but he is an underrated piece of this defense and has been playing pretty well lately. He had six tackles, one pass deflection, and one interception. With injuries across the secondary and Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon knocked out, Lewis must step up.
Loser: Kyler Gordon, CB
After a strong first three games back from his injury, Gordon struggled on the field and suffered a fate Bears fans know all too well. He had three tackles but got burned on two separate passes, including a 58-yard play that hurt him and left him with a wrist injury. Hopefully the injury isn't too serious, but it's a crushing blow to an already rough night for Gordon.
Winner: Jaylon Johnson, CB
This website has been very critical of Johnson, and it has been justified by allowing a pass rating of over 129 entering Week 9. He seemed to redeem himself with a massive pick-six in the third quarter, with a banged-up secondary and a banged-up Caleb Williams, who had four interceptions by then. While Johnson still needs to play better, he had the redemption game that he needed all season.
Winner: Luther Burden III, WR
Burden is an electric player who has the speed to make any defender look silly. He had one of the biggest plays of the game with his 56-yard touchdown in the first half. On nine targets, he caught seven passes for 97 yards and a touchdown, but had a fumble late in the fourth quarter, whichhe fumbled resulted in him getting injured. The conversation about him being WR1 continues, with the bigger concern being whether he is going to be okay.
Winner: Devin Bush, LB
This was Bush's best game as a Bear so far. His speed was on full display, but he was awesome at reading runs and blitzing. He finished with nine tackles, one tackle for loss, and two pass deflections. Bears have waited for Bush to hit his stride in this defense, and over the last few weeks, it certainly feels like he has control of his position in the unit.
Winner: Jeffery Simmons, DT
Simmons made one of the game's most impressive plays in the second quarter, saving the Bears from a touchdown before the half. He chased down Emeka Egbuka on a 21-yard screen pass and tackled him, and a few plays later, the Buccaneers kicked a field goal. Simmons racked up four tackles, one pass deflection, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit, and one sack. He bullied the Buccaneers' offensive line tonight despite being double-teamed multiple times and continues to look like a great trade.
Winner: Austin Booker, DE
Booker is emerging as the Bears' best pass rusher off the edge and keeps getting better as the season rolls on. He finished with four tackles, two quarterback hits, one tackle for loss, and one sack. The Bears hoped Booker would become a star on this defense, and he is certainly trending that way.
Read more: Kyle Monangai may be missing his last Bears game of the season
Loser: Caleb Williams, QB
Williams got off to an incredible start, throwing for nearly 150 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter alone. Then he lost his confidence and threw four interceptions. He finished by completing 22 of 37 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns, with four interceptions. This looked a lot like playoff Caleb Williams, making incredible throws but also making boneheaded mistakes, so Bears fans would like him to do less of that in the future. He at least came in clutch with a game-winning drive, so that's a positive to take away.
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