BUCCANEERS 38, BEARS 3

TAMPA, Fla. — Tom Brady became the first player to throw 600 career touchdown passes, and Tampa Bay routed Chicago for the best seven-game start in franchise history.

The defending Super Bowl champions won their fourth consecutive game, improving to 6-1 and avenging one of their five regular-season losses from a year ago, with Brady completing 20 of 36 passes for 211 yards and 4 TDs.

The Tampa Bay defense did its job, too, limiting the offensively challenged Bears (3-4) to Cairo Santos’ second-quarter field goal and sacking rookie Justin Fields four times, forcing two fumbles. Dee Delaney had one of the Bucs’ three interceptions, a first-quarter pick that led to Brady’s 599th career TD pass.

With Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski sidelined by injuries, Mike Evans had big day receiving for the Bucs, finishing with six catches for 76 yards and 3 TDs, including a 9-yarder that gave Brady No. 600 with six seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Evans also had scoring receptions of 2 and 8 yards as the Bucs built the lead to 35-3 at halftime. Chris Godwin had eight catches for 111 yards and a 5-yard reception set up by Delaney’s interception. Rookie Jaelon Darden’s 43-yard punt return led to Leonard Fournette’s early 2-yard TD run.