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By Ellis Williams
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In what turned out to be a historic victory, Tampa Bay completed zero passes against Atlanta and still walked away with a 16-0 win. The Buccaneers piled up 324 rushing yards, giving Chicago plenty to prepare for before Sunday night.
Head coach Ben Johnson credited Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles for leaning on his team’s strengths. Now the Bears (6-2) have to stop them when they host the Buccaneers (3-5) at Soldier Field.
“They’re the No. 1 team in football rushing the ball right now,” Johnson said. “It’ll be a big one.”
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Against Atlanta, the Buccaneers ran 56 times in rainy conditions at Raymond James Stadium. Quarterback Baker Mayfield attempted three passes, completed none and took one sack.
Running back Bucky Irving handled 27 carries for 170 yards and the game’s only touchdown. Running back Kenneth Gainwell added 140 yards on 25 attempts, giving Tampa Bay two backs with career-best rushing totals in the same afternoon. It was only the second time in franchise history that two Buccaneers topped 100 rushing yards in one game.
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Tampa Bay intercepted quarterback Michael Penix Jr. four times, with linebacker Alex Anzalone responsible for two of those takeaways. Atlanta went 0-for-12 on third down, and kicker Chase McLaughlin supplied three field goals before Irving’s four-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
The Buccaneers have won consecutive games over Carolina and Atlanta. They lead the NFL with 168.6 rushing yards per game, while Chicago ranks second at 150.8.
Chicago averaged 196.2 rushing yards through its first four games, but that figure has fallen to 105.3 over the last four. Johnson identified improving the running game as a priority during his Wednesday media session.
Quarterback Caleb Williams has helped keep the offense moving during that stretch. Since returning from a hamstring injury, he has completed 73.8 percent of his passes for 860 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions across three consecutive wins.
Chicago’s latest victory, a 34-17 win at Seattle on Monday, moved the Bears to 6-2. Williams threw for 247 yards, and running back D’Andre Swift scored three rushing touchdowns.
Irving and Gainwell now face a Chicago defense that ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed.
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