The Packers head into Tampa Bay with more than a little urgency after a rough opening stretch and a 35-14 loss to the Falcons last Thursday. At 1-2, Green Bay has spent the past week and a half answering hard questions, and now the focus shifts to a Buccaneers matchup that could tell us plenty about whether this team can steady itself.
The biggest change may come up front. Brian Gutekunst already moved to add help, bringing in Kevin Zeitler, Laken Tomlinson and Mekhi Becton to try to shore up an offensive line that has been, for three weeks, the worst in the league.
Whether any of those newcomers are ready to play in Week 4 remains unclear. Zeitler could be available, but after signing only a few days ago, it’s more likely he waits for Week 5 against the Chicago Bears.
Even so, the line is still the first place to watch Sunday.
The weather is another layer to this one. The Packers have never exactly been a natural fit for Florida, and Sunday in Tampa Bay is expected to be a hot, humid afternoon with temperatures around 90 degrees.
That kind of conditions test a team’s toughness as much as its game plan, and Green Bay has not shown much fortitude through the first three games. If it handles the heat and plays well, that would say plenty.
There’s also a different quarterback to deal with. Baker Mayfield is out, and undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels is set to make his first real NFL start after getting only a drive or two last week.
That gives the Packers a chance to face someone with very little experience, but it also means there’s less to study and prepare for. Green Bay had trouble last week when Michael Penix Jr. came back into the mix against Atlanta, so the defense will need to be sharper this time.
Lukas Van Ness feels like one of the biggest swing pieces in that effort. Daniels can move, and the heat will be part of the equation, but Van Ness has been a major force for the Packers and leads the league in pass-rush win rate, according to ESPN. If Green Bay is going to make life difficult for the rookie quarterback early, Van Ness is a big reason why.
The Packers could also use a stronger push in the backfield. MarShawn Lloyd has been the de facto starting running back, but his 3.0 yards per carry doesn’t offer much pop.
Whether that’s a product of the offensive line or Lloyd adjusting to NFL action, the result has been the same. Kaleb Johnson has already been splitting carries with him and has done more with his chances.
If Green Bay wants a more productive ground game, Johnson may need a bigger role, and he’ll need to protect the football too.
Then there’s Tucker Kraft, who remains central to how this offense wants to function. So far, though, the tight end hasn’t found his rhythm.
He has nine catches for 106 yards, and Pro Football Reference has charged him with four drops. Coming back from an ACL tear, Kraft is still working his way back, but getting him involved would open up more for the Packers’ offense.
For Green Bay, the formula starts with something it hasn’t managed yet: a hot start. The offense has been stuck in the mud, and a quick score would go a long way toward settling a team that badly needs confidence.
From there, the Packers have to keep drives alive. They’ve been near the bottom, or at the bottom, of nearly every stat that measures down-and-distance length, yardage on first downs and related categories.
Even if drives end in a field goal or a punt, staying on the field longer would help both the offense and a defense that could use the rest.
And after what happened against Atlanta, the Packers have to cut out the explosive plays. The Falcons kept landing them, and while Tampa Bay doesn’t feature the same exact personnel, the threat is still there. A fast start against Jalon Daniels and a cleaner defensive effort would give Green Bay a much better chance to leave Tampa with a win.
In Other News...
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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 🡒]
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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 🡒]