The Bears looked headed for another demoralizing loss, but a third-quarter turnaround helped them pick up their second win in two weeks and send the Bucs home empty-handed.
Turning Point:
This game completely changed in the third quarter, when Chicago scored 14 points in under two minutes of game time thanks to two Tampa Bay turnovers. First, a Josh McCown fumble set up the Bears at Tampa's 13 yard line, and Matt Forte took it in for a TD on Chicago's first play after regaining possession. Then, McCown's first pass on the next drive was intercepted deep in Tampa territory, setting up another Forte score.
Chicago MVP:
With little consistency on offense, Matt Forte continues to be this team's workhorse. Forte ended up with 89 yards and 2 TDs on 23 carries.
In addition to Forte's big day, we have to give some credit to Chicago's front seven, which harried Josh McCown all day and finished with five sacks. DT Stephen Paea led the way with two.
Tampa Bay MVP:
Despite an all-around rough day on offense, WR Vincent Jackson finally got it going. Jackson broke the 100-yard barrier for the second time this season, finishing with 117 receiving yards on 5 catches. Louis Murphy also broke the 100-yard plateau, racking up 113 yards on 6 catches.
Stat of the Day:
Jay Cutler's 130 passing yards today are his fewest since Chicago's game against the Redskins on October 20, 2013 - a game Cutler left with an injury after just 8 pass attempts. Another stat of note...Chicago won this game despite gaining 204 total yards to Tampa's 367.
What's Next?
Chicago travels to Detroit for their traditional Thanksgiving Day matchup, while the Bucs host the Cincinnati Bengals next Sunday.
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