Buccaneers Hang On to Defeat Bears, 20-17 : NFC: Tampa Bay ends five-game losing streak when Chicago misses last-second field-goal attempt.

Vinny Testaverde, benched for two games in favor of veteran Steve DeBerg, returned to the starting lineup in impressive fashion Sunday.

Testaverde completed 12 of 21 passes for 182 yards as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended a five-game losing streak with a 20-17 victory over the Chicago Bears.

The Buccaneers (4-6) were ensured of the victory when Bear kicker Kevin Butler missed a 44-yard field-goal attempt with one second to play.

“We played good enough to lose,” Bear Coach Mike Ditka said. “It comes down to making the plays, and we didn’t make them. I’m not blaming the kicker.”

The Buccaneers scored on their first three possessions. Testaverde completed a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ron Hall for a 20-0 halftime lead.

Neal Anderson came off the bench to score two fourth-quarter touchdowns, but the Bears (4-6) were unable to avoid their first three-game losing streak since 1989. Testaverde had five completions of 20 yards or more during the first half when the Buccaneers outgained the Bears, 235 yards to 55. The Buccaneers scored on Reggie Cobb’s one-yard run and Eddie Murray’s field goals of 31 and 40 yards.

The Bears finally broke through on Butler’s 27-yard field goal in the third quarter. Anderson scored on a one-yard run and an 11-yard pass from Jim Harbaugh with 3:35 to play.

The Bears forced a punt with 1:37 left and drove 47 yards to the Buccaneers’ 26 before Butler’s game-tying field-goal attempt sailed wide left.

“Those are the kinds of kicks that stick with you,” Butler said. “And it’s up to me to keep the confidence in myself and work it out. It doesn’t hurt for me. It hurts me for the teammates I let down.”

Harbaugh completed 17 of 33 passes for 225 yards.

Cobb rushed for more than 100 yards against the Bears for the second time this season, gaining 114 yards in 28 carries. Twelve of those yards came on a third-and-one play that allowed the Buccaneers to keep the ball for a minute longer on their last possession.

Darren Lewis, who started at running back in place of Anderson, gained 64 yards in 13 carries.