Bears at Buccaneers
Jay Cutler returned from a thumb injury and led the Chicago Bears to a win two weeks ago, and the team only got healthier over its bye week. Cutler will try to make it two in a row Sunday, when he goes up against a struggling defense in the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Cutler's performance in the 20-10 win over Minnesota was enough to give the team hope that it would not be enduring another lost campaign, though coach John Fox had a more realistic take this week. "You can spend a lot of time looking in the rear-view mirror driving your car," Fox told reporters. "If you spend too much time looking back, then you wreck. So, our focus is in front of us now. Right now, we can be 10-6 or 2-14; that's the reality math-wise. Hopefully, we can move toward the first one." The Buccaneers are trying to find their way to a winning season as well, and quarterback Jameis Winston insisted the team was better than its record. "I'm not a loser," Winston told reporters. "We're winners in this building. And I believe it's a choice. It's a mentality that we've gotta have and we're building. We're heading on the right path. We just gotta get over the hump, and I'm going to do what I need to do to help us get over there."
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Buccaneers -1.5. O/U: 45.5
ABOUT THE BEARS (2-6): The best news from Chicago coming out of the bye week was on the injury report, where nose tackle Eddie Goldman (ankle), guards Kyle Long (triceps) and Josh Sitton (ankle) and wide receiver Eddie Royal (toe) all were listed as limited but participated in practice. The returns of Long and Sitton should help an offensive line that dominated the Vikings and gave Jordan Howard enough room to run for 153 yards. Royal's return would open the outside for Cutler, who spent more time cutting up the middle of the field with tight end Zach Miller and running backs Howard and Jeremy Langford in his return than he did throwing wide to Alshon Jeffery (four catches, 63 yards).
ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS (3-5): Tampa Bay is allowing an average of 29 points - 29th in the NFL - and 398.9 yards (28th), and was carved up for 344 yards and four TDs by Matt Ryan in a 43-28 home loss to Atlanta last week. Winston threw three scoring passes without an interception in the setback and finished the game on the bench after suffering a knee injury but insists he is physically ready to go this week. Winston could get some help in the running game this week from Doug Martin (hamstring), who returned to practice for the first time since Week 2 and is questionable.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Buccaneers WR Mike Evans (concussion) was a full participant in practice on Wednesday but is not yet out of the league's protocol.
2. Chicago CB Bryce Callahan (hamstring) is a limited participant at practice and is questionable.
3. Cutler went 20-of-27 for 156 yards, one TD and no interceptions in a 26-21 win at Tampa Bay last season.