Packers edge Buccaneers 17-14, Tampa Bay falls to 0-4
Jordan Love threw two touchdown passes as Green Bay held off Tampa Bay 17-14, handing the Buccaneers their first 0-4 start since 2014.
Packers survive in Tampa
Green Bay beat Tampa Bay 17-14 on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. The Packers led 10-7 at halftime and added a third quarter touchdown before holding on down the stretch. Green Bay improved to 2-2 overall and 2-1 on the road, while Tampa Bay fell to 0-4, its worst start since 2014.
Jalon Daniels made his first career start for the Buccaneers, filling in for Baker Mayfield, who missed a game for the first time in his three-plus seasons in Tampa Bay because of a dislocated thumb.
How it happened
Matthew Golden caught a 2 yard touchdown pass from Jordan Love with 12:54 left in the second quarter, making it 7-0. Tampa Bay answered when Sean Tucker ran it in from 2 yards to tie the game at 7. Trey Smack hit a 58 yard field goal as the second quarter clock hit zero, putting Green Bay up 10-7 at the half.
In the third quarter, Love found Tucker Kraft for a 2 yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 17-7. Tampa Bay's only fourth quarter points came on a 10 yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Kenny Gainwell with 14:49 left, cutting it to 17-14, where the score stayed.
Stat lines
Love finished 22 of 30 for 197 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Christian Watson led Green Bay receivers with three catches for 47 yards, and Kaleb Johnson carried eight times for 42 yards. Edgerrin Cooper had a team high nine tackles, and Xavier McKinney added a sack.
Daniels went 19 of 27 for 148 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in his first start. Bucky Irving ran 16 times for 61 yards, and Cade Otton caught four passes for 37 yards. Josiah Trotter led Tampa Bay with nine tackles. Green Bay out-gained Tampa Bay 283 yards to 275, though Tampa Bay held the edge on the ground, 141 yards to 86, and committed far fewer penalties, four for 17 yards against Green Bay's ten for 68.
Injuries and what's next
Tampa Bay listed Antoine Winfield Jr. as questionable with ribs, SirVocea Dennis as questionable with an ankle, and Ko Kieft out with an elbow injury. For Green Bay, Edgerrin Cooper played through an achilles issue listed as questionable, and Brandon Cisse and Chris Brooks were questionable with a neck/concussion issue and an ankle issue.
At 0-4, Tampa Bay is in rare company. Only the 1992 Chargers have overcome an 0-4 start to make the playoffs. Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles put the start on himself after the loss. "I'm the head coach. I can do more," he said.
Facts per ESPN box score. Opinion is the taproom's.