Five Bears Whose Stock Went Up or Down in NFL Week 9 Win Over Buccaneers
Nov 9, 2026 4:39 AM
Updated Nov 9, 2026 7:59 AM

Nicholas Moreano identifies five Chicago Bears whose stock went up or down in the Week 9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Soldier Field.

CHICAGO -- Good teams find ways to win. 

That's what the Chicago Bears did in the 27-24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football at Soldier Field. Quarterback Caleb Williams threw four interceptions, making this the first game of his NFL career he has thrown at least three picks in a game. 

The Bears started off the night with back-to-back touchdown drives and were on track to run up the score against the Buccaneers. But head coach Todd Bowles' defense settled down and forced the third-year quarterback to make mistakes, with two of his interceptions self-inflicted mistakes on throwaways that stayed in bounds and the Buccaneers' secondary took advantage. Wide receiver Luther Burden III also fumbled in the fourth quarter, making this a classic fourth-quarter game for the Bears. 

Williams led the offense down the field, completing three of his four passes, including a 38-yard pass to Colston Loveland to set up Cairo Santos for a 38-yard game-winning field goal.

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Here are the five players who raised or lowered their stock in the Week 9 win. 

Stock Down: Caleb Williams 

The Buccaneers had a good defense going into the Week 9 matchup against the Bears. That was until they ran into Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson. 

Williams started the first drives of the game completing 6 of 8 passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns, including a 56-yard connection to Luther Burden III on third-and-8. 

One of the areas that Williams has talked about improving is giving his pass catchers a runner's ball to allow his playmakers to get yards after the catch. The ball was perfectly placed and Burden took care of the rest. 

Williams also used his legs to hurt the Buccaneers' defense. He extended plays to find open receivers down field. His touchdown throw to Rome Odunze is just one example of Williams' playmaking. He ran twice on the opening drive, picking up 12 yards on the ground. 

After throwing two touchdowns in the first quarter, he was intercepted twice in the second quarter. He tried to hit Odunze in the middle of the field on the first attempt and Tykee Smith made the play. Williams immediately gave up the ball again after the defense forced a fourth-down stop. The Bears' quarterback had pressure in his face and made a poor decision throwing in the direction of Burden, but the ball was short and cornerback Zyon McCollum easily intercepted the pass on the sideline. 

Williams wasn't done with the two interceptions. He threw another ill-advised pass on a throw that was left for grabs near the right sideline. McCollum made the Bears' quarterback pay with his second interception of the half. The Buccaneers capitalized with a field goal. 

Williams missed wide receiver Kalif Raymond on the Bears' first offensive possession in the third quarter. The offense went three-and-out on the first two drives of the second half. On the third possession, Williams was intercepted for the fourth time on the night. He attempted to hit Burden, but the pass was deflected into the air and linebacker Alex Anzalone intercepted the pass. 

This game serves as a reminder for Williams that an elite defense will take advantage of inaccurate passes. The Bears' quarterback will go into the bye week with plenty to improve. 

Stock Up: Luther Burden III 

The Chicago Bears' wide receiver continuously finds himself on the stock up section of my postgame articles. He's also one of Williams' most reliable pass catchers. 

If there is a pass thrown in his direction, you can typically count on Burden to make the catch and get some yards after the catch. His 56-yard touchdown reception on the team's second offensive possession is what makes Burden special. He broke one tackle in the middle of the field and then used a stiff arm to out run the entire defense on his way to the end zone. Tight end Colston Loveland did a nice job of slowing down some Bucs defenders. 

Burden has a knack for creating explosive plays for this offense. Sunday night was just the latest example of the pass catcher showcasing his abilities to a national audience. 

The Bears' wide receiver did have a costly fumble late in the fourth quarter. He was also injured on the play and didn't return to the game. The Buccaneers turned that turnover into a touchdown and tied the game. 

The Bears' wide receiver finished with seven receptions for 97 yards, one fumble and a touchdown. 

Stock Up: Devin Bush 

The Chicago Bears' linebacker was all over the field in the first half. He used his speed to get in the backfield to make a key tackle on third down, which forced Tampa Bay to settle for a field goal. 

Bush shot in the backfield to make a stop on a fourth-down run by Baker Mayfield, causing a turnover on downs. The veteran linebacker also showed his coverage ability on a second down play during the team's second defensive series, forcing an incomplete pass. 

Bush's versatile skillset gives defensive coordinator Dennis Allen options on how to best deploy the disruptive linebacker. Bush finished with a game-high nine total tackles and one tackle for loss

Stock Up: Jaylon Johnson

Caleb Williams threw his fourth interception of the game towards the end of the third quarter. The turnovers kept piling up for the Bears' quarterback. Someone needed to step up with Williams having one of his worst games of his career. 

An unlikely candidate stepped up: cornerback Jaylon Johnson 

The veteran cornerback has struggled this season, but he came up with the biggest play of the night. Johnson stepped in front of pass intended for tight end Cade Otton, and intercepted the pass and ran down towards the left sideline. Montez Sweat was the lead block and shoved Mayfield to clear the path for Johnson to score. 

The Bears desperately needed a big-time play, and Johnson provided it. 

Stock Up: Austin Booker

The Chicago Bears' edge rusher made his presence felt on Sunday Night Football. He delivered some big hits throughout the entire night. He sacked Mayfield on third-and-5 on the Buccaneers' second offensive possession in the second half. 

He set the edge and played with good effort. One of the benefits of having Jeffery Simmons on the interior is it allows players like Booker to have more one-on-one opportunities. 

Booker benefitted and took advantage when asked to rush the quarterback. He finished with four total tackles, one sack and four total quarterback pressures.

Honorable Mention:

Stock Up: Cam Lewis

Veteran defensive back Cam Lewis is one of the unsung heroes on this Bears defense. He's been a Day 1 starter since Coby Bryant was sidelined. Against the Buccaneers, Lewis recorded his first interception as a Bear. The Buccaneers were putting together a promising drive until Lewis jumped a route on the left hash marks

In the game against the Buccaneers, he showed off his versatility. Kyler Gordon left the game in the third quarter with an injury, forcing Lewis to move from his safety spot to nickel cornerback. 

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