The Packers don’t need a complicated plan to know where the stress point is Sunday. Tampa Bay has given up more sacks than anyone in the league, and now the Bucs are handing the offense to undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels, who will make the first start by a rookie quarterback in the NFL this season.
That is exactly the kind of setup a defense circles in red.
Daniels will be asked to navigate a Packers pass rush that should come after him early and often, and Tampa Bay knows the challenge waiting for him. Tristan Wirfs said Thursday that the rookie won’t shrink from the moment.
“It’s a great challenge,” tackle Tristan Wirfs said Thursday. “If there’s a guy that I’ve been around that’s this young to go knock out an opportunity, it would be J.D.
You guys have been around him. He will not be scared.
He’ll go in there and he’s got juice. He’s got a ton of confidence barking out plays in the huddle throughout the week and that was all throughout preseason.
“And there was a different energy level when he was playing in those preseason games, and we anticipate that exact same thing. But at the end of the day, when the football is kicked off at 1 o’clock, it’s football to him.
He’s got to go trust himself. Cut it loose.
Trust his instincts.”
The bigger issue for Tampa Bay has been why Baker Mayfield has taken so many hits in the first place. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said Thursday that the protection breakdowns have been a team problem, not just a line problem, as Mayfield is out at least three weeks with a dislocated thumb on his right throwing hand.
Minnesota’s defense turned the pressure up last Sunday, blitzing nearly 80% of the time under Brian Flores and sacking Mayfield six times. Daniels may have spent six years at Kansas State, but that doesn’t mean he’s seen the kind of pressure looks Green Bay is likely to throw at him.
Robinson pointed to the full offense when talking about the struggles.
“We thought we had a good plan going into (the Vikings game). But it’s all 11 being on the same page,” Robinson said.
“I think that’s kind of been the theme of the season in general. We might have 10 guys doing all the right fundamentals and techniques, everything that shows up in the practice week.
Then it’s one guy here, one guy there.
“Execution will always be what offense is all about. I think with some of our setbacks and some of those instances, we’ve just got to play together. Eleven as one.”
The Bucs entered the year expecting their starting offensive line to be a strength, especially with the five starters together for the first time since 2024. Instead, Mayfield has been under constant heat. He has scrambled for 65 yards on 11 carries, all of them coming when the pocket broke down rather than on designed runs.
“We can get frustrated like I’m sure he can get frustrated. ... But it’s us staying behind him, us staying positive and we’ll be all right,” Wirfs said.
“Even with Baker, when we’re having success, we’re running the football. And I think it’s more important to stay on top of that with K.D. in there.”
Daniels can create when things break down, too. He can escape the pocket, extend plays and run for yards when needed. But Tampa Bay’s best path in his first start is obvious: make him prove he can handle the pressure, the movement and the speed before he gets comfortable.
Robinson said the rookie has earned the chance.
“Obviously his journey and how quickly it escalated throughout training camp was a credit to just him doing a great job with his opportunity,” Robinson said. “So, he’s got a cool opportunity.
(We’re) all looking forward to just seeing him play football, man. It’s the game that he has played for a long time.
You’re always excited to see these young guys get out and just be able to cut it loose, trust yourself.
“Hey, we’ll deal with the results after the fact, but I’m excited for him. I know the rest of the team is excited for him and is looking forward to just a great moment for him. It’ll be really cool to see the guys rally around him.”
Packers at Bucs, 1 Sunday, Raymond James Stadium. TV/radio: Fox; 97.9-FM.
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