The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven’t won three straight games since winning their first three games last season. On Sunday night the Buccaneers (3-5) will have the opportunity to notch a third consecutive win when they take on the Chicago Bears (6-2) on the road, in primetime.

Despite opening the season 0-4 for the first time since 2014, the Buccaneers have won three of their last four games, including two straight NFC South Division wins, and sit just a half game behind the division-leading Carolina Panthers (3-4). The Bears also are just a half game back of the division lead in the NFC North and are riding a three-game winning streak and have won five of their last six games.

Sunday night’s game at Soldier Field will feature the NFL’s top two rushing teams with Tampa Bay leading the way, averaging 168.1 yards per game, while the Bears are second, averaging 150.8 ypg.

Coming into the game, the Bears are averaging 113.3 rushing ypg in their last three contests as a team but haven’t had a single player rush for more than 100 yards in a game since their 23-12 win against the New York Jets in Week 4. In the win, running back Kyle Monangai rushed for 146 yards on 30 carries and had two rushing touchdowns, but hasn’t played since and will be out once again against the Buccaneers due to injury.

Lead running back D’Andre Swift has been a workhorse during Chicago’s current winning streak. Swift hasn’t eclipsed the 100-yard mark since Week 1 against the Panthers (124) and has averaged just 63.6 ypg in his last three games, but is averaging 21.6 attempts per game and has six of his league-leading 10 rushing touchdowns during that span. 

While the Bears are also averaging more than 200 passing ypg, the Buccaneers have relied solely on the ground game after the return of quarterback Baker Mayfield from a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. 

Since coming back against the Panthers Mayfield has attempted just 14 passes, but the Buccaneers have rushed for nearly 600 yards a team in their last two wins behind running backs Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell. 

In his last two games Irving has rushed for 276 yards on 51 carries, for an eye-popping 5.4 yards per attempt average and has three rushing touchdowns. On the season Irving is No. 4 in the NFL in rushing (728 yards), has five rushing touchdowns, and has 18 catches for 78 yards and a touchdown in the passing game. 

The Bears and Buccaneers matchup will also feature two of the league’s top run-stopping defenses.

Tampa Bay has been the standard of stopping the run, leading the NFL in rushing yards allowed (80.0 ypg) and the Buccaneers haven’t allowed an individual 100-yard rushing performance in 16 straight games dating back to last season. The Buccaneers have allowed just one team, the Cincinnati Bengals in the first game of this season, to rush for more than 100 yards as a team in a game.

The Bears are third in the league against the run, allowing 86.8 rushing ypg, and haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher since Week 2 when Aaron Jones of the Minnesota Vikings rushed for 105 yards in a 9-3 win. Chicago hasn’t allowed a team to rush for more than 100 yards in five consecutive games.

While the game will most likely be decided on the ground, the Buccaneers’ defense will also have to try and stop one of the league’s most dynamic quarterbacks in Caleb Williams. Since returning from a hamstring injury in Week 6 after missing two games, Williams is completing 74 percent of his passes, is averaging 286.7 passing ypg, has four passing touchdowns and has thrown zero interceptions in his last three games. 

The Buccaneers have registered eight turnovers in their last two games, including a combined six interceptions against the Panthers and Atlanta Falcons, and lead the league in takeaways with 16 total. 

Once NFC Central Division rivals, the Bears and Buccaneers have met just five times in the last nine seasons, with Tampa Bay winning the last two games in 2023 (27-17) and 2021 (38-3). The Buccaneers have won three of the last five games and Chicago’s last win against Tampa Bay at home came in a 20-19 victory in 2020.

The Bears lead the all-time series 40-22 and are 6-point favorites at home. The point total for the game is 47.5.