The Packers didn’t make it easy on themselves, but they did just enough to walk out with a 17-14 win over the Buccaneers.
Green Bay improved to 2-2 after holding off Tampa Bay, which fell to 0-4. The game had a little bit of everything: a backup quarterback forced into action, a couple of costly turnovers, and a finish that came down to whether the Bucs could string together one more drive.
Tampa Bay was without Baker Mayfield, who will miss at least three games because of a fractured right thumb. That put undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels in the spotlight, and he kept the Bucs in the game. Daniels finished 19 of 27 for 148 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions, and those picks directly led to 10 Packers points.
Even with the mistakes, Tampa Bay still had a late shot. The Bucs got to the Green Bay 46 with 1:54 left, but the drive stalled after an incompletion, a sack, a 5-yard completion and another incompletion with Daniels under pressure on fourth-and-11.
Green Bay also handed Tampa Bay a chance to hang around. Jordan Love was intercepted at the Tampa Bay 26 when safety Jacob Parrish picked off a pass intended for Matthew Golden at the Bucs’ 7. That turnover gave Tampa Bay life with 4:46 remaining, but the Packers defense shut the door, allowing just 38 yards on 10 plays the rest of the way.
Love finished 22 of 30 for 197 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Both scoring throws were short ones, a 2-yard touchdown to Golden and another 2-yard score to Tucker Kraft.
The Packers totaled 283 yards. Christian Watson caught three passes for 47 yards, and Kaleb Johnson added 42 rushing yards on eight carries.
Tampa Bay finished with 275 yards. Bucky Irving ran for 61 yards on 16 carries, and Sean Tucker scored on a 2-yard run.
In Other News...
Buccaneers Suddenly Face A Bigger Baker Mayfield Problem Than Expected
Baker Mayfields thumb injury has turned into a much bigger issue for the Buccaneers than a short-term scare. The veteran quarterback suffered a dislocated thumb and is expected to miss multiple games, with his return hinging on how quickly he regains grip strength. For Tampa Bay, the timing is especially tricky because Mayfield had been in the middle of another season as the teams starter after appearing in three games so far.
The immediate answer is rookie Jalon Daniels, who has been named the backup and will start while Mayfield is out. It puts an abrupt spotlight on Tampa Bays quarterback depth and raises the stakes around how the offense functions without the player the Buccaneers signed to a multi-year deal. The bigger question now is not just who starts next, but how long the team has to live without Mayfield and what kind of shape he is in when he finally returns. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Fan Goes Viral For A Gameday Moment Bucs Fans Pounced On
A gameday photo from the Packers-Buccaneers matchup quickly took on a life of its own, with a Green Bay fan in a cheese-themed outfit drawing plenty of attention on social media. Buccaneers fans, already tuned into a rough start for their own team, jumped on the image and helped turn a random moment from the stands into one of the evenings louder online talking points.
It fit the mood around Tampa Bay, where the Bucs came in at 0-3 and were turning to undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels at quarterback because of Baker Mayfields injury. Green Bay arrived at 1-2, but the game was about more than the records for Tampa Bay supporters, who had little patience to spare and plenty of time to notice, and react to, anything that stood out. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Bowles Just Became The Center Of Tampa Bay's Biggest Debate
The Buccaneers slow start has pushed Todd Bowles into the middle of a conversation nobody in Tampa Bay wanted to have this early. At 0-4, with a 3-12 record stretching back to last season, the losses are piling up fast enough to turn every miscue into a referendum on direction, execution and leadership. Bowles stepped to the podium after the latest setback and owned the mess, taking responsibility while insisting he still believes he can guide the team out of it.
Bowles has handled the public side of the slump the way a veteran coach usually does, but the frustration around the team is only growing because so many of the defeats have stayed within reach. Close games tend to sharpen the focus on the head coach, and if the Buccaneers keep coming up short in those spots, the accountability debate will only get louder. For now, Bowles is asking for patience, even as the results make that a harder sell by the week. [Read more 🡒]