Bears Pound Buccaneers 48-10
CHICAGO (AP) — Mitchell Trubisky threw a career-high six touchdown passes and the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears pounded the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-10 on Sunday.
The Bears (3-1) won their third straight with Trubisky delivering the sort of breakout performance general manager Ryan Pace envisioned when he traded up a spot to draft the prized quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick last year.
He finished one TD pass shy of a franchise mark set by Sid Luckman against the New York Giants in 1943.
The Bears also racked up 483 yards, nearly matching their record of 488 in that same game, on the way to their highest point total since 51-20 victory over Tennessee in 2012.
The defense did its part, harassing Ryan Fitzpatrick before Jameis Winston took over to start the second half. And the Bears (3-1) won their third straight, matching their longest run since a 3-0 start in 2013.
Trubisky had never thrown for more than two touchdowns in a game. But he threw for five in the first half alone as Chicago grabbed a 38-3 lead.
The only other player with more in a single half since 1991 was Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers with six in the first two quarters against the Bears in a romp at Lambeau Field in November 2014.
Trubisky had no trouble finding wide-open receivers against a struggling secondary, completing 19 of 26 passes for 354 yards.
Khalil Mack had a strip-sack in the first half against Fitzpatrick. That made him the first player with a sack and forced fumble in four straight games since Robert Mathis for Indianapolis in 2005.
He also appeared to tip the ball as Winston released a pass that Danny Trevathan picked off on the first drive of the second half.
Coming off a tight loss to Pittsburgh on Monday night, the Buccaneers (2-2) were simply overwhelmed in this one.
Tampa Bay decided to stick with Fitzpatrick as the starting quarterback even though Winston was back from a three-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.
But after becoming the first player in NFL history to top 400 yards passing in three consecutive games, he was 9 of 18 for 126 yards and got sacked two times. Winston was 16 for 20 with 145 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Chicago's Tarik Cohen had a career-high 121 yards receiving and a touchdown. Taylor Gabriel had a personal-best 104 yards receiving to go with two TD catches.
Trey Burton caught a 39-yard touchdown on the game's opening drive and finished with 86 yards.
Allen Robinson caught a 14-yarder late in the first quarter — his first TD since signing with Chicago in the offseason.
NATIONAL ANTHEM
There were no obvious protests by either team.
INJURIES
Buccaneers: TE O.J. Howard left in the first half because of a knee injury. CB Carlton Davis III aggravated a groin injury. DT Vita Vea, the No. 12 overall draft pick this year, was active for the first time after being sidelined by a calf injury.
Bears: LB Sam Acho left in the first half with a pectoral injury.
UP NEXT
Buccaneers: Have bye week. At Atlanta on Oct. 14.
Bears: Have bye week. At Miami on Oct. 14.
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