The Packers are heading into a stretch that should tell us a lot about where this season is going, and the matchup list is at least giving Green Bay a chance to steady itself. Tampa Bay comes first, and the Buccaneers are expected to start undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels because Baker Mayfield has a dislocated thumb. After that, the Packers are likely to see another backup quarterback in Chicago, with either Case Keenum or Tyson Bagent under center while Caleb Williams works his way back from a hamstring injury.
That setup is exactly why Packers fans were asked this week to project the team’s record after Week 5. The response wasn’t exactly brimming with optimism, even with the opponent situation looking favorable on paper. A slight plurality of fans picked Green Bay to go 1-1 over the next two games, and the expectation among many of those voters appears to be that the win comes Sunday in Tampa.
That group made up 42 percent of the fan survey. But the pessimism ran just as deep in the other direction: 39 percent of fans said they expect the Packers to lose both games.
The mood isn’t hard to understand. Green Bay is 1-2, and that record has come with the feeling that things could just as easily be 0-3. Add in the Bears’ 27-7 demolition of the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football with Keenum at quarterback, and it’s no surprise the fan base is sounding uneasy.
Most of the survey responses came in before the Packers signed Kevin Zeitler on Wednesday, so it’s fair to wonder whether that move changes how some fans feel about the next two weeks. For now, though, the broader picture remains pretty bleak in the confidence numbers, which showed a clear lack of faith in where the team is headed.
The betting market reflects that slide too. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Green Bay’s odds of reaching the NFC playoff field have dropped to +240, down sharply from roughly -150 entering Week 1.
At this point, the Packers probably need at least one win in these next two games just to keep the postseason conversation alive. Sunday in Tampa looks like the first chance to stop the slide.
In Other News...
Packers Fans Just Got A Viral Gameday Distraction They Didn't Expect
A Packers-Buccaneers game already had enough going on with Green Bays early-season struggles, but one fan in the stands managed to steal a different kind of spotlight. A photo of a female Packers supporter dressed in a cheese-themed outfit started making the rounds on social media, quickly turning into one of the most discussed images from the afternoon.
The reaction stretched well beyond the Green Bay crowd, with Buccaneers fans jumping in online as the picture spread. It also fit a familiar pattern for Packers gamedays, where the action on the field sometimes shares space with viral fan moments that take on a life of their own long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Escaped Tampa But One Problem Could Loom Over Everything
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Edgerrin Coopers night loomed over much of the conversation, with his status carrying the kind of weight that can change the way a season is viewed in a hurry. Add in the uneven moments from MarShawn Lloyd and some questions around Matt LaFleurs decisions, and the Packers escape felt less like a clean victory lap than a reminder that the next injury report could matter just as much as the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Face Week 4 Pressure From An Unexpected Bucs QB
An undrafted rookie is suddenly set to get his first meaningful NFL shot in Week 4, and it comes with the kind of spotlight Green Bay did not have circled back in August. Jalon Daniels is expected to be in line for significant work for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Packers, a matchup that carries a little extra intrigue because of the urgency surrounding a 0-3 start and the need for somebody to jolt the offense.
Former Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden added to the buzz by publicly encouraging Daniels, framing the moment as both an opportunity and a test of mindset. For Green Bay, the bigger picture is simple: a young quarterback stepping into a pressure-filled setting can bring unpredictability, and the Packers will be dealing with a Tampa Bay team hoping this change at the position can finally spark a turnaround. [Read more 🡒]