The Packers got the result they needed on Sunday, but not much about the performance was tidy. Green Bay edged the still-winless Buccaneers 17-14 in Week 4, and it took a late defensive stand to make sure the game didn’t slip away.
Evan Williams was the difference on the final drive. The Packers safety got to undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels for a sack and then helped finish the job on fourth down, when Daniels had to get rid of a bad throw with Williams clamped to his legs. Green Bay had trouble corralling the mobile quarterback for much of the day; Daniels still finished with 55 rushing yards against the Packers.
The win came with a familiar problem attached. Green Bay entered the week as the NFL’s most-penalized team in both total flags and penalty yardage, and it added another 10 penalties Sunday.
The officiating crew let plenty go, which cut both ways, but the Packers kept digging themselves into holes with drive-killing mistakes. More than once, the offense was staring at first-and-20 before it had a chance to settle in.
That broader sloppiness showed up in other ways, too. Green Bay lost a fumble at the one-yard line and also threw an interception inside the 10-yard line. It was the kind of game that left little doubt about the state of the operation right now: messy, uneven, and in need of cleanup.
One area that did offer a small lift was the ground game. The Packers stuck with it enough to run 25 times for 86 yards, their best rushing output of the season.
The injury picture wasn’t encouraging either. Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper has an Achilles injury, while rookie second-round cornerback Brandon Cisse exited with a neck injury and a concussion. Cooper had been starting at Will linebacker and is expected to be replaced by Isaiah McDuffie, while Cisse’s spot at right cornerback should go to Carrington Valentine.
Running back Chris Brooks, who made the start, and defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt also drew in-game status updates, though Wyatt did return.
Now comes a Week 5 meeting with the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field, a game both fan bases - and probably both staffs - have had circled since the schedule came out. A three-point escape against a UDFA rookie quarterback won’t do much to quiet concerns about regression. The pressure is only going to rise next week.
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
The Packers left Tampa with a hard-fought 17-14 win, and the box score alone does not tell the whole story. There were bright spots worth filing away, including strong showings from Kaleb Johnson, Laken Tomlinson, Brandon Cisse and Tucker Kraft, but the game also exposed a few issues that lingered beneath the result.
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 🡒]