Tampa Bay put in a strong performance to stay atop the NFC South lead and move to .500 football.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took another big step towards securing both the NFC South title and a playoff spot, running over the Green Bay Packers 34-20. With an explosive performance by Baker Mayfield and the offense, the Bucs maintain their lead on the division and have started to look possibly frisky in the playoff picture.
In their second biggest offensive performance of the season, Tampa Bay was firing on all cylinders in the pass game. Baker Mayfield found a rhythm and dropped bombs all over the field, going 22-of-28 for 381 yards and four touchdowns while averaging a season-high 13.6 yards per attempt. Wide receiver Chris Godwin also had his biggest game of the year, catching 10 passes for 144 yards. Rachaad White had another strong performance, adding 139 total yards and a touchdown.
The Packers had their moments, but Jordan Love and the offense was simply too undermanned to keep up with the Bucs. Love went 29-of-39 for 284 yards and two touchdowns. He got little help from the run game, which was held to just 60 yards.
On the Packers’ first offensive drive, they worked down to Tampa Bay’s 4-yard line but failed to convert, turning the ball over on downs. However, they got the ball right back when Baker Mayfield was strip-sacked by Kingsley Enagbare. Tight end Tucker Kraft scored two players later, putting Green Bay up 7-3.
The Bucs responded in kind on the following drive, scoring on a 19-yard Mike Evans touchdown catch:
The Packers managed a field goal on their next drive, tying the game up at 10-10. After trading punts, the Bucs managed a field goal just before the end of the half.
After halftime, the Bucs came out swinging. First, they force a quick three-and-out on the Packers’ opening drive. Then, they orchestrated a 66-yard touchdown drive capped by a Rachaad White 26-yard catch-and-run touchdown.
This set off an exchange of scoring drives, with the Packers scoring off a 17-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Jayden Reed. Tampa Bay came right back with another touchdown drive in which tight end Ko Kieft made his first catch of the year on a 1-yard touchdown reception:
After holding the Packers to a field goal, the Bucs scored again on a 52-yard touchdown reception by David Moore, despite nearly giving the ball away at the goal line by celebrating a tad early. Moore’s touchdown put the Bucs up 34-20.
With the game on the line, the Packers begin driving on the Bucs defense once more, but on 4th-and-10 on Tampa Bay’s 30-yard line, Lavonte David and Shaquil Barrett force a Jordan Love fumble, recovering at the Green Bay 49. Tampa Bay all but sealed the game by converting on 4th-and-2 behind a three-yard Rachaad White run.
The Bucs offense was largely mistake-free outside of Baker Mayfield’s early sack and fumble. The defense struggled to keep the Packers from driving the field but held the Packers to just a 40% red zone conversion rate. The pass rush was inconsistent, notching just two sacks and six quarterback hits. For just the third time this season, Tampa Bay’s defense did not force a turnover.
Now at 7-7, the Bucs’ playoff chances are looking better than ever. Now on a three-game win streak, Tampa Bay has nothing but momentum behind them as they reach the home stretch to a fourth-straight playoff berth.
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