The Chicago Bears beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-24 on Sunday night, but Tampa Bay right tackle Luke Goedeke left the game frustrated with newly acquired Chicago defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. Goedeke accused Simmons of holding offensive linemen during pass protection to give his teammates a clearer path to the quarterback.
Goedeke said the two had several heated exchanges during the game. He claimed Simmons held him twice, helping Chicago’s edge rushers get pressure, and also accused Simmons of swinging at his head. Goedeke said Simmons was “known for it on pass pro, just holding the tackle so that the DE can run free.”
Although Goedeke said he respects Simmons, he argued that some of the tactics should be taken out of his game. “It’s just kind of old, to be honest,” he said, adding that he had raised the issue with officials but did not expect it to be called.
Video from the game appeared to show Simmons getting away with some holding, though physical play can be difficult to distinguish from a penalty. Simmons also won several matchups against Goedeke, including one play on which he knocked the tackle to the ground.
## Simmons Makes an Early Impact in Chicago
The Bears acquired Simmons in a trade that sent two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick to his former team in exchange for Simmons and a fifth-round pick. The significant price reflected Chicago’s hope that he could strengthen its defensive line.
Simmons recorded a sack in his first game with Chicago against the Seattle Seahawks and added another against Tampa Bay. In the Buccaneers game, he finished with four tackles, one sack and one pass deflection.
Chicago’s defense faced difficult circumstances after its offense turned the ball over five times, including four interceptions by Caleb Williams. The defense recorded four sacks against Baker Mayfield, intercepted him twice and got a pick-six from Jaylon Johnson, who returned an interception for a touchdown.
Simmons was not solely responsible for the defensive effort, but his presence gave Chicago a disruptive interior threat. The Bears entered the game at 7-2, and the win offered an example of how the defense could help them prevail even when the offense struggled.
