Update: Cutler unspectacular as Bears drop Bucs

[Vin+ 3,121]

TIME: 01:00 P.M. EST

VENUE: Wembley Stadium

 

 

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman's first NFL action came in London during a blowout loss for a winless team nearly two years ago.

 

When he plays again at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, Freeman will be leading the first-place Buccaneers against a Chicago Bears team that's showing some signs of internal strife.

 

After drafting Freeman in the first round in 2009, Tampa Bay's initial plan was to let him sit and learn for the entire season. An 0-7 start changed those plans and Freeman made his debut in the last of those losses, a 35-7 drubbing to New England in London.

 

He led the eventual 3-13 Buccaneers to a win over Green Bay in his first NFL start two weeks later, and nearly got them into the playoffs last season. Tampa Bay has built on that 10-6 finish, winning four of its past five games.

 

"That first year was a very trying year, a lot of new pieces," Freeman said. "First year for (coach Raheem Morris), first year for me, first year for a lot of guys. But we still have a young team, but we have a lot of confidence about what we're doing. We feel like we can go out and win every game."

 

Freeman passed for a season-high 303 yards and two touchdowns in a 26-20 win over New Orleans last Sunday. Tampa Bay (4-2) bounced back from a 48-3 defeat in San Francisco to move into a first-place tie in the NFC South with the Saints.

 

"We're streaky, I guess. We're like John Starks. We come out hot some days, and some days we're not," Morris said. "But we are on fire and back in. We got the hop-step we've been missing the last couple of weeks, and that's what we've got to be."

 

The Bears (3-3) seemed to get some life back after a dominant 39-10 victory over Minnesota on Sunday night, but Lance Briggs told a local television station that lingering problems between players and management are affecting morale.

 

"I think there's a big transition going on right now," the veteran linebacker said. "The players and the management, they're not seeing eye-to-eye on a lot of different issues and a lot of player situations. I don't know where it's going to go or how it's going to pan out.

 

"I think it takes away from wanting to just go out on the football field and just play."

 

Briggs lobbied for a new contract before this season, running back Matt Forte also is pushing for a new deal and safety Chris Harris requested a trade after being benched Sunday. Additionally, a microphone caught quarterback Jay Cutler directing a profanity toward offensive coordinator Mike Martz during last Sunday's win.

 

"Things happen. I'm not going to make a big deal of it. It's not a big deal. We're all on the same team," said Cutler, who said he didn't regret what happened.

 

Cutler will try to add to his streak of 74 passes without an interception. He's been sacked 19 times - second-most in the NFL - but only once last Sunday as he threw for 267 yards and two TDs.

 

The Tampa Bay defense has no sacks in the past two games but did intercept three of Drew Brees' passes last Sunday.

 

The Bucs also will be closely watching Devin Hester, who caught a 48-yard touchdown pass against Minnesota and totaled 91 yards receiving - third-most in his career. He also brought back a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, extending his NFL record for combined kick returns for TDs to 16.

 

A rib injury forced Hester to miss the Bears' previous matchup with Tampa Bay, a 27-24 overtime loss in Chicago in 2008.

 

Forte had 89 yards rushing in that defeat and has 408 over the last three games while averaging 6.4 per carry.

 

It's unclear who will get the bulk of the carries for Tampa Bay. Leading rusher LeGarrette Blount missed last Sunday's game with a knee injury, but Earnest Graham did well in his place with 109 yards on 17 attempts.

 

It remains uncertain if Blount will be back, but the Bucs are more hopeful defensive lineman Gerald McCoy will return from an ankle injury.

 

While the Bucs are the first team to return to London for a regular-season game since the league began playing there annually in 2007, Chicago made its only trip for a 1986 preseason game against Dallas.

 

Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

Edited October 23, 2011 by BLUE

[WindyCitySports 407]

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[Vin+ 3,121]

Buccaneers declared RB LeGarrette Blount, DT Gerald McCoy, WR Sammie Stroughter, CB Myron Lewis, C Jeff Faine, OT James Lee and TE Zack Pianalto inactive for Week 7 against the Bears.

 

As expected, Earnest Graham will lead the Bucs' rushing attack in London. Coming off a 17-carry, 109-yard performance against the Saints, Graham is Rotoworld's 16th ranked running back for Week 7 against the Bears' 22nd ranked run defense. Frank Okam will get the start in McCoy's place, while Jeremy Zuttah will man center in Faine's absence.

 

 

 

Devin Hester (chest) is active for Week 7 against the Buccaneers.

 

As expected, WR Earl Bennett (chest) is inactive despite turning in a week of full practice. He is expected to return following the Bears' Week 8 bye.

 

Also inactive for the Bears are OT Gabe Carimi, DE Corey Wootton, DE Mario Addison, DT Matt Toeaina and S Major Wright. With Wright inactive, Chris Harris should man free safety will Chris Conte gets the start at strong safety.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Would love to be 5-2 headed into the bye week. GO BUCS!

[Shotgun 442]

I actually get to watch the game in AZ this time. Cmon Bucs!

[KiLaSix9+ 398]

Injuries blow. As does Corey Lynch.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

I think losing Graham was a huge blow to the Bucs. Freeman threw the ball over FIFTY times. Four of those going to the other team. Tsk tsk.

[BLUE 1,026]

Per Rotoworld.com:

 

Jay Cutler completed 17-of-32 passes for 226 yards, a touchdown and pair of interceptions in Sunday's 24-18 win over the Bucs.

A fairly typical day for Chicago's signal caller, who tossed both his picks as he was under siege from unblocked rushers. The most interesting part of Cutler's afternoon was his newfound rapport with Roy Williams, whom he targeted five times. Williams entered the afternoon with just 14 looks through five games. Cutler will have to contend with the Eagles' elite secondary when the Bears return from their Week 8 bye. Oct 23 - 4:35 PM

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

The Bears belong to Matt Forte. Not Jay Cutler. So no one cares haha

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Lol.. sad when that stat line is your "typical".

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Frustrating game. Freeman played like shit, way too many costly INT's.

[Shotgun 442]

Freeman played bad but it's not like he had much help. Our receivers could hardly get open most of the plays, our last good RB got injured. Him throwing the ball 51 times is worse than Matt Ryan throwing it 50+ times. He can't read the field good enough to throw that much with absolutely no run game to help out. 4 INT isn't so astounding when the other teams defense is pretty much only playing the pass, and Freeman wasn't the end cause of all of them.

[RazorStar 4,025]

Yeah, you still need a running game despite what pundits might think. There is a sort of "at least this good" threshold your backs need to be at. Kregg Lumpkin is nowhere near that level.