Buccaneers and Bears promise close contest as NFL glamour hits Wembley again
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 3:27 PM on 22nd October 2011
Both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Chicago Bears harbour serious play-off aspirations, with Tampa Bay a vastly improved version of the team who lost at Wembley two years ago.
They went 10-6 last season, only missing out on the post-season on a tie-breaker, and they are off to a 4-2 start this campaign to top their division in the early going.
Showtime: Tampa Bay cheerleaders perform for fans at Trafalgar Square
Hair we go: The NFL is back in England
The Bears were within a game of reaching the Super Bowl last year, but after a 3-3 start, they need a win to try and keep pace with the unbeaten Green Bay Packers and the impressive Detroit Lions in their division.
Tampa Bay are hoping to use their experience of having played here in 2009 to their advantage as they look for an edge in their preparations.
Although the Bucs suffered a heavy loss to the New England Patriots in that game, their memories of Wembley are not all bad. Quarterback Josh Freeman threw his first NFL pass in the contest, and has since developed into a leader on a young, fast-developing team.
Sunday showdown: Tampa Bay are set to take on Chicago at Wembley
Glamour: The cheerleaders have been whipping fans into a frenzy all week
While Chicago waited until Friday to fly in, Tampa Bay have been here all week, getting themselves adjusted to the time difference and enjoying the bonding experience of full week away.
'We've started to get acclimated as the days have gone and that's really good for us,' said coach Raheem Morris. 'This has been a great trip for us to focus on our family of football, our brotherhood of men, so to speak. Watching these guys bond around the hotel, here at the Pennyhill (Park Hotel, in Surrey), has been phenomenal.
'Watching these guys be around each other, be around their coaching staff and really be forced to do it here among all our friends has been great. That's been awesome for us, as well as the football.'
Sight seeing: The Tampa Bay team wave to fans at the fan rally in London
The Chicago camp does not seem to be quite so happy as there were visible signs of discord during last Sunday's win over Minnesota.
Contract issues are hanging over running back Matt Forte and linebacker Lance Briggs, while quarterback Jay Cutler was seen in a rage with his offensive co-ordinator Mike Martz.
Perhaps that explains why Chicago have been happy with such a low-key build up to the game, staying at home until the last minute before flying over. That approach has been criticised, not least as it has proven to be a losing formula in the previous Wembley games.
However, veteran Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Urlacher defended the move, insisting he and his team-mates have no interest in doing any sightseeing before Sunday.
Just not cricket: The Chicago Bears have been training at the Oval
Base camp: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers in training at Pennyhill Park
'Football game, that's what I'm thinking about,' he said. 'It's a business trip for us. We've got to take care of business.
'Coach [Lovie] Smith doesn't mess around when it comes to this stuff. We've been told what to do, what not to do, so I think guys will abide by that. We have curfews every night, or at least the first couple of nights we're there and then the last night [after the game] we don't have one. But guys will do the right things. We always do for the most part.'
Despite recent history being against it, Urlacher believes treating this as just another road game is the right way to go.
'I like sleeping in my own bed,' he added. 'I like practising with some sort of normalcy. I don't like changing routines, so I like the way we're doing it.'
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