They were down by 12 going into the final quarter but so nearly forced overtime, Martin Gramatica's 48-yard fieldgoal hitting the post as time expired. Brad Johnson completed a franchise record 40 passes in the game for almost 400 yards, but the Bucs just couldn't take advantage of the many chances they had to get back in the game earlier when it really mattered.

GAME SCORING TB 2:29-1Q Gramatica FG25 TB 13:58-2Q Gramatica FG38 CHI 8:21-2Q Booker 28 pass from Miller (Edinger kick) TB 0:23-2Q Gramatica FG26 CHI 11:03-3Q Booker 44 pass from Miller (Edinger kick) CHI 9:23-2Q Booker 66 pass from Miller (Edinger kick) CHI 4:01-3Q Edinger FG26 TB 12:25-4Q Alstott 1 run (Gramatica kick) CHI 4:01-4Q Edinger FG26 TB 2:29-4Q B.Johnson 1 run (Alstott pass from B.Johnson)

GAME REPORTS Click here for how Martin Fennelly's award-winning column Click here for how Roy Cummings saw it all unfold Click here for Rick Stroud's morning-after review Click here for the official gamebook and play-by-play

STARTERS OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 67 Walker DE 78 Jones LG 64 McDaniel DT 92 McFarland C 62 Christy DT 99 Sapp RG 60 Coleman DE 97 Rice RT 71 Wunsch LLB 53 Quarles TE 83 Moore MLB 59 Duncan WR 19 Johnson RLB 55 Brooks WR 86 Williams LCB 25 Kelly FB 40 Alstott RCB 20 Barber RB 28 Dunn SS 47 Lynch QB 14 Johnson FS 34 Jackson PLAYED 3 Royals, 7 Gramatica, 21 Abraham, 22 Stecker, 26 Smith, 27 Abdullah, 33 Vance, 38 Howell, 43 Cook, 46 Gibson, 50 Gooch, 51 Singleton, 52 Webster, 69 Pierson, 75 Washington, 80 Yoder, 84 McDermott, 85 Anthony, 87 Murphy, 91 Darby, 94 White, 98 Cannida DID NOT PLAY 10 King INACTIVE 1 Hamilton, 35 Ivy, 58 Cerqua, 65 Hochstein, 76 Curry, 81 Green, 89 Wynn, 96 Wyms

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Dunn 8-12, B.Johnson 3-5, Alstott 4-2. BEARS: Thomas 23-58, Allen 2-12, Miller 4-(-2). PASSING BUCS: B.Johnson 56-40-399-2-0, Royals 1-1-5-0-0. BEARS: Miller 25-14-228-1-3. RECEIVING BUCS: Dunn 12-138, K.Johnson 12-89, Moore 5-36, Alstott 4-36, Anthony 3-57, Williams 3-34, Murphy 1-9, Stecker 1-5. BEARS: Booker 7-165, Shelton 2-18, Baxter 2-13, Terrell 1-15, Thomas 1- 10, White 1-7. INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: Barber 1-0. BEARS: Parrish 1-10, McQuarters 1-4. KICK RETURNS BUCS: Murphy 4-115, White 1-0. BEARS: Denson 3-63, Johnson 1-24. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: Williams 4-20, Anthony 2-7. BEARS: Johnson 4-19. SACKS BUCS: White 2-14, Rice 1-8. BEARS: Daniels 1-5, Urlacher 1-4.