TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Jameis Winston threw for 204 yards and one touchdown Sunday, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers return from an unscheduled bye week forced by Hurricane Irma to open the season with a 29-7 rout of the mistake-prone Chicago Bears.
The defense stymied former teammate Mike Glennon with four turnovers. Robert McClain returned one of the quarterback’s two interceptions for a TD, and the Bucs didn’t let the Bears into the end zone until Deonte Thompson scored on a 14-yard reception with 1:43 remaining.
The Bucs (1-0) dominated despite having a short week of practice following the massive storm that forced postponement of the team’s scheduled season opener at Miami.
Winston completed 18 of 30 passes without an interception. He threw a 13-yard TD pass to Mike Evans, who had seven catches for 93 yards.
Glennon, who signed with Chicago as a free agent last winter, was 31 of 45 for 301 yards and two interceptions in his return to Raymond James Stadium. The Bears (0-2) finished with 310 yards total offense, 1 yard less than a Bucs offense that hasn’t had much work in the past month.