GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers need a win to stay front and center in the NFC playoff race. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need a win to maintain their lead in the NFC South. Who will win? Follow along for updates on a dreary Sunday at Lambeau Field.
The Packers’ last-gasp died on three consecutive incompletions and a sack/fumble/loss of 21 on fourth down.
Would coach Matt LaFleur even consider firing his defensive coordinator with three games remaining?
Buccaneers 34, Packers 20 (6:30 remaining)
Could the Packers get a stop? Of course not. On third-and-4, Baker Mayfield hit Chris Godwin for 11. On the next third-and-4, Mayfield connected with David Moore at the first-down marker between De’Vondre Campbell and Keisean Nixon. Nixon missed the tackle and Moore was off to the races for a 52-yard touchdown. Mayfield has thrown for 381 yards, just 16 off his career
The Packers made it a one-score game on Anders Carlson’s 33-yard field goal. Completions of 20 and 19 yards to Dontayvion Wicks moved the offense into scoring position. On second-and-6, a toss to Aaron Jones gained 5. Coach Matt LaFleur challenged the spot and lost. It was a foolish challenge? Does the coach not believe his offense can pick up a third-and-one-half? So, a challenge and timeout were wasted. A “Love Shove” gained the first down but a corner blitz on third-and-4 forced an incompletion.
Baker Mayfield’s season high was 317 passing yards. He’s up to 318 yards with merely 15 more minutes to get to 400-plus or whatever is needed. In a horrendous performance by Joe Barry’s defense that should ratchet up the pressure on the embattled defensive coordinator, the Bucs answered Jordan Love’s touchdown by getting 22 yards to Cade Otton, 21 yards to Chris Godwin and 22 more to Otton before a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ko Kieft.
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