Talented Bucs offense will test Bears secondary on Sunday
After facing Atlanta's state-of-the-art passing attack in the season opener, it doesn't get any easier for the Bears defense this week against Tampa Bay's aerial circus.
When Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston drops back to pass, he has so many options that secondaries can become conflicted in coverage.
The Bucs already had 6-foot-5, 231-pound Mike Evans, whose size and strength make him a nightmare for defensive backs who must battle him for jump balls down the field. Evans has 3,578 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns in his first three NFL seasons.
The Bucs' addition of mercurial DeSean Jackson makes Evans even more dangerous. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Jackson is in his 10th year of outrunning and out-quicking NFL cornerbacks, and he doesn't appear to be slowing down. He topped 1,000 yards last season for the fifth time.
"They're both great receivers," said Bears corner Marcus Cooper, who picked off Winston twice as a member of the Arizona Cardinals last year, returning 1 for a touchdown. "Both are physically gifted, both present a great challenge.
"As a secondary, we're looking to step up to the challenge. Luckily for us, we have a great front seven that can put some pressure on Winston, and that's going to help us out."
Rookie safety Eddie Jackson says both Bucs wide receivers are deep threats, but in different ways.
"They're both tough," Jackson said. "They're different in athletic ability. Mike can go up. Just throw the ball up, and he's going to go get it. DeSean can beat you straight-line and route-running.
"We have to keep our eyes on the right keys in the secondary, the front seven have to get pressure, and we have to cover a little longer to keep Jameis under control."
The Bears' front seven sacked Falcons QB Matt Ryan twice last week, but he threw for 321 yards with a 116.1 passer rating.
Falcons tight end Austin Hooper had 128 receiving yards on just 2 receptions, including an 88-yard TD, and the Bucs have an exceptional tight end duo in Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard.
Brate, who hails from Naperville Central, caught 57 passes for 660 yards and 8 touchdowns last season. That included a 10-yard TD grab against the Bears last year in Tampa during the Bucs' 36-10 blowout victory. To complement him, the Bucs used their first-round draft pick on Alabama's Howard, a 6-foot-6 and 251-pound TE who runs a 4.5 40-yard dash.
Bears coach John Fox says Brate presents a huge threat when the Bucs get close to the end zone.
"He's a long body, and they feature him in the red area," Fox said. "I don't know if his top-end speed is quite what Howard's is, but he plays fast, and he's a pretty good ball-getter when that ball goes up."
Fox also likes what he's seen from rookie safety Eddie Jackson, the Bears' only rookie starter. Fox believes Jackson can compete with the Bucs.
"I've seen a lot from him that I've liked," Fox said of the fourth-round pick from Alabama. "I don't know how much he got tested last week, (but) he functioned really well, and he's a good communicator. He does well in all facets.
"Tampa Bay does the same thing (as the Falcons), and DeSean Jackson is another deep threat with Evans. Their tight end crew is as good as anyone in the league, and Winston can hoist it. I'm sure (Jackson) will get tested, but overall I've been very pleased with his performance."
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