Novig pricesBears vs. Buccaneers: Rookie Josiah Trotter and Tez Johnson are the Tampa Bay players to watch
Josiah Trotter and deep threat Tez Johnson are the Buccaneers players most likely to trouble the 6-2 Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday night.
The Chicago Bears bring a three-game winning streak into Sunday night's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Soldier Field. Tampa Bay's chances of ending that run may depend on a rookie linebacker and a receiver who hasn't been targeted much. In its Week 9 preview, SB Nation's Windy City Gridiron picks linebacker Josiah Trotter and wide receiver Tez Johnson as the two Buccaneers Chicago most needs to account for.
Trotter, a second-round pick out of Missouri in the 2026 draft, is the son of former Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. He made an immediate impression in Week 1 at Cincinnati, finishing with 11 tackles and a sack and returning an interception for a touchdown. He has missed a game this season and still leads Tampa Bay's defense in tackles by 25, according to the preview. At 6-foot-2 and 237 pounds, he plays both the run and the pass. If Chicago's offensive line can't keep him away from Caleb Williams and the running backs, the Buccaneers have a way to slow the game down.
Johnson is the bigger concern for Chicago's defense. Windy City Gridiron's Bryan Orenchuk calls cornerback, and coverage against deep throws in particular, the Bears' last remaining weakness after the Jeffery Simmons trade. He points to Atlanta's Jahan Dotson, who had 87 yards on just three catches against Chicago. Johnson averages 19.8 yards per catch, has played in all eight games and has drawn only 15 targets. Emeka Egbuka is hobbled and Chris Godwin is getting older, so his role has grown. If Tampa Bay can run the ball with Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell, play-action shots from Baker Mayfield to Johnson are the obvious next step.
What it means for Sunday
Chicago is 6-2, and the losses came in two very different games: a 9-3 home loss to Minnesota and a 31-7 loss at Green Bay. Since the Green Bay game, the offense has scored at least 30 points three weeks in a row, beating Atlanta 31-23, New England 30-24 and Seattle 34-17. Across eight games the Bears have scored 214 points and allowed 160. They are 3-1 at Soldier Field, and a win would take them into the bye at 7-2.
Those recent scores support the case for a Tampa Bay big play. Atlanta and New England both scored more than 20 points on Chicago, and the Falcons did a lot of it with deep completions. A game that turns on a few long passes could stay close.
The market has Chicago clearly ahead. On this site's board for the game, the Bears are favored at -251 on Novig, and the best price anywhere is -250 at theScore Bet, so the 11 venues barely differ on the winner. Tampa Bay is +245 on Novig. The spread shows a little more spread between venues: Chicago is -6.5 at +102 on Novig, while Pinnacle has the Bears at -6 for -105. The total sits at 47.5 at most venues, and theScore Bet has the under at 48.5. Sportsbook hold runs from roughly 3% to 5% across the three markets.
Chicago has scored at least 30 points in three straight games, which makes a total in the high 40s look reasonable. Whether the game goes over or under that number may come down to how often Johnson gets loose deep and how often Trotter reaches the quarterback.