The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 5-1 on the season and are the Super Bowl favourite. On Sunday, they’re expected to move to 6-1 as they’re a double-digit favourite at home to the Chicago Bears. The Bears continue to roll with rookie Justin Fields under center and while the mood in Chicago is positive, the results are quite tepid.

NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis

The Bears haven’t fared well against winning teams as they’re 2-5 against the spread (ATS) in their last seven against teams with a winning record. They’re also 1-5 ATS in their last six as an underdog.

As for the Bucs, they failed to cover last week but are 6-1 ATS in their last seven following an ATS loss. They’re also 6-1 ATS in their last seven at home.

Chicago Bears

The Bears have handed Justin Fields the keys to the car but the results have been mixed so far. At times, he’s able to move the ball and avoid turnovers, and at other times, it looks like the same ol’ broken Bears offence. Fields’ stats don’t look great as his 23.4 QBR is 31^st in the NFL and he has just 494 passing yards, two touchdowns and two picks in his last three games. He’s yet to complete more than 16 passes in an NFL game; if the Bucs turn this into a shootout, the Bears are in trouble.

The big concern for the Bears here is that they’ve been walloped by some of the better teams in the NFL and they’re up against another one this week. They’ve lost to the Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers, and each of those losses were by at least 10 points. It’s hard to trust them in this spot – especially on the road.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs have been off since last Thursday and have to be feeling pretty good about themselves. Their only loss on the year was on the road to the Los Angeles Rams, who are one of the best teams in the league. They have had 10 days to prepare for this contest – one that should be pretty straightforward. However, the Bucs have had a number of close calls of late. They nearly blew a big second-half lead against the Philadelphia Eagles and they eked out a two-point win over the New England Patriots. Granted, both of those games were on the road but it does look like there are some cracks in the armour.

The one thing the Bucs have going for them is revenge. They lost to Chicago last year in a game where Brady was somewhat embarrassed when he forgot what down it was late in the game. Rest assured that he hasn’t forgotten that. That will likely lead to a focused effort from him and a big Bucs win.

Who Will Win Bears vs. Buccaneers?

• Regular Season

Bears Team Leaders

CHI

Touchdowns	David Montgomery 4
Rushing	David Montgomery 566
Passing	Justin Fields 1361
Receiving	Darnell Mooney 51
Sacks	Robert Quinn 11
Interceptions	Roquan Smith 1

TB

Touchdowns	Mike Evans 10
Rushing	Leonard Fournette 665
Passing	Tom Brady 3771
Receiving	Chris Godwin 82
Sacks	Shaquil Barrett 7.5
Interceptions	Mike Edwards 3

• Regular Season

Buccaneers Team Leaders

CHI

Touchdowns	David Montgomery 4
Rushing	David Montgomery 566
Passing	Justin Fields 1361
Receiving	Darnell Mooney 51
Sacks	Robert Quinn 11
Interceptions	Roquan Smith 1

TB

Touchdowns	Mike Evans 10
Rushing	Leonard Fournette 665
Passing	Tom Brady 3771
Receiving	Chris Godwin 82
Sacks	Shaquil Barrett 7.5
Interceptions	Mike Edwards 3

Weather

temp	76
condition	light-rain
wind	South 7mph

Injuries

Chicago

Cole Kmet (TE)

Prob Sun Groin - 01 / 12 / 21

Tashaun Gipson Sr. (DB)

Prob Sun Chest - 01 / 12 / 21

Elijah Wilkinson (OL)

Out indefinitely Illness - 26 / 11 / 21

Roquan Smith (LB)

Ques Sun Hamstring - 25 / 11 / 21

Mario Edwards Jr. (DL)

Ques Sun Ribs - 24 / 11 / 21

Trevis Gipson (LB)

Prob Thurs Chest - 24 / 11 / 21

Marquise Goodwin (WR)

Ques Sun Shoulder - 24 / 11 / 21

Darnell Mooney (WR)

Ques Thurs Foot - 22 / 11 / 21

Justin Fields (QB)

Ques Sun Ribs - 22 / 11 / 21

Duke Shelley (DB)

Out indefinitely Hamstring - 21 / 11 / 21

Tampa Bay

Zach Triner (LS)

Out indefinitely Illness - 06 / 12 / 21

Ronald Jones II (RB)

Ques Sun Illness - 05 / 12 / 21

Jordan Whitehead (S)

Ques Sun Calf - 02 / 12 / 21

Mike Edwards (S)

Elig Week 16 Suspension - 01 / 12 / 21

William Gholston (DL)

Prob Sun Wrist - 01 / 12 / 21

Jason Pierre-Paul (LB)

Prob Sun Shoulder - 01 / 12 / 21

Aaron Stinnie (G)

Out indefinitely Knee - 01 / 12 / 21

Vita Vea (DL)

Prob Sun Knee - 01 / 12 / 21

Devin White (LB)

Prob Sun Quadricep - 01 / 12 / 21

Jamel Dean (CB)

Ques Sun Concussion - 28 / 11 / 21

Injuries

Chicago

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Cole Kmet (TE)	Prob Sun	Groin - 01 / 12 / 21	0-2	1-1	+ -
Kmet is dealing with a groin injury, but it is expected that he will partake in Sunday's tilt against the Cardinals.
Tashaun Gipson Sr. (DB)	Prob Sun	Chest - 01 / 12 / 21	0-2	1-1	+ -
Gipson is tending to a chest injury, but he is likely to take the field on Sunday versus the Cardinals.
Elijah Wilkinson (OL)	Out indefinitely	Illness - 26 / 11 / 21	0-2	1-1	+ -
Wilkinson has been added to the IR/COVID-19 list, and he will miss an unknown period of time.
Roquan Smith (LB)	Ques Sun	Hamstring - 25 / 11 / 21	0-3	1-2	+ -
Smith was lifted from the last game with a hamstring injury, and it is unclear if he will play against the Cardinals on Sunday.
Mario Edwards Jr. (DL)	Ques Sun	Ribs - 24 / 11 / 21	0-3	1-2	+ -
Edwards Jr. has missed the last two games due to a rib injury, leaving his status against the Packers on Sunday clouded.
Trevis Gipson (LB)	Prob Thurs	Chest - 24 / 11 / 21	0-3	1-2	+ -
Gipson is nursing a chest injury, but it is projected that he will participate in Thursday's clash with the Lions.
Marquise Goodwin (WR)	Ques Sun	Shoulder - 24 / 11 / 21	0-3	1-2	+ -
Goodwin was held out of the previous game with a foot injury, and it is unclear if he will suit up against the Packers on Sunday.
Darnell Mooney (WR)	Ques Thurs	Foot - 22 / 11 / 21	0-3	1-2	+ -
Mooney is hampered by a foot injury, and it is unclear if he will take the field on Thursday versus the Lions.
Justin Fields (QB)	Ques Sun	Ribs - 22 / 11 / 21	0-3	1-2	+ -
Fields has been absent from the last contest with fractured ribs, and it is uncertain if he will line up Sunday versus the Packers.
Duke Shelley (DB)	Out indefinitely	Hamstring - 21 / 11 / 21	1-3	2-2	+ -
Shelley has been added to the injured reserve list due to a hamstring injury, and it has yet to be established when he will return to the lineup.

Tampa Bay

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Zach Triner (LS)	Out indefinitely	Illness - 06 / 12 / 21	1-0	0-1	+ -
Triner has been shuttled to the IR/COVID-19 list, and a date for his return has yet to be established.
Ronald Jones II (RB)	Ques Sun	Illness - 05 / 12 / 21	2-0	1-1	+ -
Jones II exited the previous game with an illness, and it is unknown if he will return against the Bills on Sunday.
Jordan Whitehead (S)	Ques Sun	Calf - 02 / 12 / 21	2-0	1-1	+ -
Whitehead missed the last contest with a calf injury, and it is uncertain if he will line up against the Bills on Sunday.
Mike Edwards (S)	Elig Week 16	Suspension - 01 / 12 / 21	2-0	1-1	+ -
Edwards is serving a three-game suspension for violating the league's COVID-19 protocols and also has an ankle injury. He is eligible to return Week 16 versus the Panthers.
William Gholston (DL)	Prob Sun	Wrist - 01 / 12 / 21	2-0	1-1	+ -
Gholston is dealing with a wrist injury, but it is likely that he will take the field Sunday versus the Falcons.
Jason Pierre-Paul (LB)	Prob Sun	Shoulder - 01 / 12 / 21	2-0	1-1	+ -
Pierre-Paul has an injured shoulder, but it is anticipated that he will be available on Sunday versus the Falcons.
Aaron Stinnie (G)	Out indefinitely	Knee - 01 / 12 / 21	2-0	1-1	+ -
Stinnie has been added to the injured reserve list due to a knee injury, and it has yet to be decided when he will return to the lineup.
Vita Vea (DL)	Prob Sun	Knee - 01 / 12 / 21	2-0	1-1	+ -
Vea is hampered by a knee injury, but it is projected that he will suit up against the Falcons on Sunday.
Devin White (LB)	Prob Sun	Quadricep - 01 / 12 / 21	2-0	1-1	+ -
White is tending to a quadricep injury, but it is anticipated that he will be in Sunday's lineup against the Falcons.
Jamel Dean (CB)	Ques Sun	Concussion - 28 / 11 / 21	3-0	1-2	+ -
Dean departed the last game due to a concussion, and it is undetermined if he will take the field against the Bills on Sunday.