<p>Yes, the ball landed in their cornerbacks’ arms, at times, as though it had been flown in via remote control.</p><p>Yes, the opposing receivers dropped passes like they the ball was made of molten lava.</p><p>But say this: the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" target="_blank" >Bears</a> built a defense that could win a game when their offense was just as bad Sunday night. The Bears beat the Buccaneers 27-24 in a slopfest because their defense overcame their offense.</p><p>The Bucs helped, of course. They had five false starts. Their quarterback, Baker Mayfield, was worse than Caleb Williams.</p><p>But the defense carrying the team to victory would have seemed impossible after Week 1, when the Bears outscored the Panthers 59-37, or Week 5, when the Packers hung 31 on the Bears.