The Buccaneers Win, Can’t Wait Until Next Year : NFC: After 13-10 victory over Chicago, Tampa Bay Coach Sam Wyche guarantees a playoff spot next season.

TAMPA, Fla. —  After a victory and two near-misses in their previous three games bolstered the sagging confidence of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday’s 13-10 victory over the Chicago Bears brought a guarantee from Coach Sam Wyche.

“We’re not going to be in the playoffs (this season). We will be next year,” Wyche said after his team stopped Chicago’s four-game winning streak and damaged the hopes of the Bears, who started the day in a three-way tie for the NFC Central lead.

“We’re a team that knows we’ve made tremendous progress this year. . .We want to enter the race. We’re tired of being the little guy with no rivals in the division, mainly because the little guy rarely goes up to the big guy and pokes him in the chest. We’ll poke anyone in the chest now because we feel we’re ready.”

Courtney Hawkins returned a punt 34 yards to set up Tampa Bay’s only touchdown and Michael Husted kicked two field goals for the Buccaneers (4-9), who will finish under .500 for the 11th consecutive season.

Mazio Royster scored on a four-yard run two plays after Hawkins’ punt return to the Bears’ seven late in the second quarter. Husted’s field goals of 38 and 42 yards capped short drives after a Chicago fumble and Chris Gardocki’s 24-yard punt.

The Bears, who beat Green Bay, 30-17, despite being outgained by 466 yards to 210 last week, had another tough day on offense. Kevin Butler kicked a 55-yard field goal on the last play of the first half and a 39-yard pass-interference penalty at the Buccaneer one led to Neal Anderson’s touchdown that tied the score, 10-10, early in the third quarter.

Chicago (7-6) beat Green Bay by scoring three defensive touchdowns. Tampa Bay, however, turned the ball over only once--on an interception--while it recovered two fumbles.

Backup quarterback Peter Tom Willis played the second half for Chicago in place of Jim Harbaugh, who suffered a bruised right hand in the second quarter. The Bears finished with 286 yards of total offense, compared to Tampa Bay’s 215, but had difficulty sustaining drives.

Tampa Bay’s Craig Erickson completed 12 of 21 passes for 128 yards.