Live Updates: Packers at Buccaneers in Week 3 Showdown

The Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who faced each other in the NFC Championship Game in 2020, will square off on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. Follow along all day for updates as these NFC heavyweights play a big Week 3 game.

Final Score

Packers 14, Buccaneers 12

Here is our quick game story, complete with game ball and more.

Fourth Quarter

Packers 14, Buccaneers 6 (3:04 remaining)

The Packers failed on eight consecutive third downs, starting with the Aaron Jones fumble late in the first half, until finally moving the chains on a third-and-4 completion to Allen Lazard with 5 minutes remaining. A deep shot to Lazard got the Packers onto the precipice of field-goal range but Logan Hall's third-down sacked forced a punt and set up a do-or-die final 3 minutes.

Packers 14, Buccaneers 6 (5:57 remaining)

A rare explosive play, a 25-yard completion Jaelon Darden, moved the ball to midfield. It was all gas on the reverse pedal from there. A double-reverse flea-flicker resulted in a 12-yard loss on a fumble. On second down, Jarran Reed blew past rookie Luke Goedeke and resulted in a sack by Kenny Clark. So, the Packers will take over with a chance to clinch the win.

Packers 14, Buccaneers 6 (8:40 remaining)

Green Bay’s red-hot offensive start seems like it was three weeks ago. It’s fallen short on eight consecutive third downs. A ticky-tack holding penalty on Allen Lazard didn’t help matters.

Packers 14, Buccaneers 6 (11:18 remaining)

The Buccaneers fell to 1-for-9 on third down. Tom Brady hit Cole Beasley for what might have been a first down had the veteran receiver – signed a few days ago – been able to keep his feet.

Packers 14, Buccaneers 6 (13:24 remaining)

Green Bay is 0-for-7 on its last seven third downs. This time, on third-and-2, unblocked outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka spit out Green Bay’s offensive eye candy and dropped Aaron Jones for minus-2.

Third Quarter

Packers 14, Buccaneers 6 (3:29 remaining)

Like the Chumbawamba song, Rashan Gary got knocked down, he got up again and drew a holding penalty against first-time starting left tackle Brandon Walton. That wiped out a big third-down scramble by Tom Brady. On the re-do, the Packers demolished a third-and-long screen.

Packers 14, Buccaneers 6 (3:29 remaining)

Green Bay’s offense is going nowhere fast. After yet another punt, the Packers’ last six possessions: fumble, three punts, interception, punt.

Packers 14, Buccaneers 6 (6:22 remaining)

Ryan Succop’s 45-yard field goal has made it a one-score game, but that’s a win for a Packers defense. Tom Brady’s deep ball to Breshad Perriman was broken up by Keisean Nixon.

Packers 14, Buccaneers 3 (7:52 remaining)

The Packers’ offensive doldrums against Tampa Bay’s superb defense continue. The Packers, so good on third down during the first half, are 0-for-3 in the second half. The latest failure was an interception by Logan Ryan, giving the Bucs the ball at Green Bay’s 47. Ryan charged in him from center field to grab a pass intended for Robert Tonyan.

Packers 14, Buccaneers 3 (9:26 remaining)

With Tampa Bay starting at its 2, Green Bay forced a three-and-out punt and should have had incredible field position. In a brutally bad call, the Packers were flagged for running into the punter, even though Tipa Galeai was tossed into the punter by Keanu Neal. Amari Rodgers returned the punt to the Bucs’ 32. Instead, on the re-kick, Rudy Ford was flagged for an illegal block and the Packers took possession at their 35. That 5-yard penalty, in reality, was a 33-yard infraction.

Packers 14, Buccaneers 3 (10:00 remaining)

Green Bay has forced two turnovers but not taken advantage. After two short completions, Aaron Rodgers was crushed by outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka on a third-and-4 incompletion. The special teams – and Keisean Nixon – made a big play, though, with Pat O’Donnell’s mile-high punt caught by Nixon at the 2.

Packers 14, Buccaneers 3 (11:18 remaining)

This is a game the defense needed to win. It just made another huge play. With the Buccaneers going no-huddle, they got on the move. However, after Rasul Douglas forced an incompletion by shoving receiver Scotty Miller out of bounds, Tom Brady connected with Russell Gage but the ball was poked free by cornerback Keisean Nixon. Defensive tackle Jarran Reed recovered at midfield.

Packers 14, Buccaneers 3 (12:57 remaining)

The Packers went three-and-out, a blatant block-in-the-back penalty on receiver Allen Lazard essentially ended things before they began.

Halftime

Packers 14, Buccaneers 3

The Packers lead by 11 and will have the ball to start the second half. Green Bay leads across the board: 214-113 in total yards, 171-98 in passing yards and 31-22 in plays – a big deal on a hot day. Aaron Rodgers is 15-of-18 for 171 yards and two touchdowns, good for a passer rating of 143.3.

Injury update: CB Jaire Alexander (groin) is out.

Second Quarter

Packers 14, Buccaneers 3 (41 seconds remaining)

Green Bay forced a huge turnover, killing a Buccaneers drive that had reached scoring position. Tom Brady had 12-yard passes to tight end Cameron Brate and running back Leonard Fournette. Then, he hit receiver Breshad Perriman on a crossing route but Adrian Amos and Quay Walker made the tackle, with Walker forcing a fumble that Darnell Savage recovered at the 27.

Packers 14, Buccaneers 3 (2:02 remaining)

The Buccaneers have Aaron Jones’ number. With the Packers on the doorstep of taking a commanding 21-3, Jones caught a short pass from Aaron Rodgers and was sandwiched by linebacker Lavonte David and defensive lineman Vita Vea at the 1. The ball popped free and was recovered in the end zone by the Bucs for a touchback. In a sensational start to the drive, Rodgers ripped a bullet to Randall Cobb, who broke a tackle by safety Mike Edwards for a gain of 40 – 30 of which came after the catch. But the Packers couldn’t take advantage, and now they’ll need a stop to keep their two-score lead.

Packers 14, Buccaneers 3 (5:57 remaining)

On third-and-12, young left tackle Brandon Walton, making his first NFL start, gave Rashan Gary an inside alley to the quarterback. Gary took it and sacked Tom Brady. The Packers are 5-for-5 on third down while the Buccaneers are 0-for-4.

The Packers have a huge opportunity now to extend their lead. Plus, they’ll get the ball to start the second half. David Bakhtiari is back in at left tackle.

Packers 14, Buccaneers 3 (8:44 remaining)

Aaron Rodgers acted as if he were going to flip the ball to Aaron Jones. Instead, he zipped a slant to Allen Lazard for a 6-yard touchdown. Rodgers is 12-of-13 passing for 120 yards and two touchdowns and the Packers are 5-for-5 on third down. On third-and-1, Rodgers ran a bootleg to tight end Tyler Davis. Davis and outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka collided at the line of scrimmage. Tryon-Shoyinka let him go, freeing up Davis for a catch-and-run gain of 23 to the 6. At the start of the drive, Rodgers and Romeo Doubs converted a third-and-8. It was a short pass to Doubs, who turned on the jets to get to the marker.

First Quarter

Packers 7, Buccaneers 3 (end of quarter)

Yosh Nijman is in at left tackle for David Bakhtiari. There will be a rotation, which is not a surprise given his lengthy absence. Nijman has been prepared for everything during Bakhtiari’s comeback.

“Coach Stenavich wants us all to prepare like we’re starters. So, that’s the mind-set from the first guy to the last guy that’s dressing for that game,” he said on Friday. “You’re preparing to start. That’s the mind-set, no matter how it looks or whoever’s out there. Our mind-set’s to come off the ball and get the job done.”

Packers 7, Buccaneers 3 (33 seconds remaining)

The Packers forced a three-and-out punt, thanks to T.J. Slaton drawing a first-down hold.

Injury update: Now we know why the Packers finished the first possession with Rasul Douglas and Eric Stokes as the corners and Keisean Nixon in the slot. Jaire Alexander suffered a groin injury and is questionable to return.

Packers 7, Buccaneers 3 (3:01 remaining)

Aaron Rodgers threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to rookie Romeo Doubs on third-and-3 1/2, with Doubs powering through cornerbacks Jamel Dean and Carlton Davis at the goal line. Allen Lazard had a key block. Doubs caught three passes for 35 yards on the drive. On the first, a 21-yarder, he was stripped but recovered. On the second, a Buccaneers defender zipped into the zone and almost intercepted the pass. Earlier in the drive, Rodgers and Randall Cobb converted a third-and-6. Cobb caught a pass in the flat, turned inside of cornerback Jamel Dean and linebacker Devin White, and gained 17 – 16 after the catch.

David Bakhtiari started at left tackle and Marcedes Lewis started at tight end. It was Lewis’ 32nd consecutive start, most among tight ends, and Bakhtiari’s first start in 37 weeks.

Buccaneers 3, Packers 0 (9:05 remaining)

After giving up opening-drive touchdowns the first two weeks, the Packers yielded an opening-drive field goal. Improvement, right? Ryan Succop booted a 45-yard field goal to get the Bucs on the board. Tom Brady dialed up play-action for gains of 24 yards to Breshad Perriman and 12 yards to Kyle Rudolph. With the Bucs in the red zone. De’Vondre Campbell demolished a screen and Kenny Clark beat Whitelaw’s Luke Goedeke for a third-down sack.

Packers-Buccaneers Prediction

The Buccaneers are really good. They’re also really beat up. They’ll line up without three of their top receivers, including 1,000-yard threats Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and left tackle Donovan Smith. That’s a lot of offensive firepower.

There will be no excuses for the Packers. Their defense is healthy and, supposedly, powerful. Even without Sammy Watkins and Christian Watson, Aaron Rodgers might have more firepower at his disposal than Tom Brady.

The fans and weather will be working against them but they simply have to win this game.

Prediction: Packers 20, Buccaneers 17. (Bill’s season record: 2-0.)

Rodgers vs. Brady: Did You Know?

Did you know the matchup of Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady will mark the first time in NFL history in which both starting quarterbacks have won at least three MVPs. Rodgers has won four, including the last two, and Brady has won three.

“You’ve got to try to cover everything,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles told reporters on Friday. “You’re not going to be able to stop Aaron Rodgers; you hope you can slow him down a little bit, enough to make some plays to win the ballgame. So, we’re trying to be disciplined, we’re trying to be sound, make sure we dot all our Is and cross all our T’s.”

How to Watch: Packers at Buccaneers

TV: This will be Fox’s game of the week and be shown to much of the nation. Kevin Burkhardt (play by play) and Greg Olsen (commentary) will be on the call, with Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi working from the sideline.

Live stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial).

Radio: Packers Radio Network (Wayne Larrivee and Larry McCarren) and SiriusXM 386 or 106 and the SXM App.

Bet on It: Packers at Buccaneers

The Buccaneers are 1.5-point favorites. The line opened at 2.5 and dropped to 1 on Sunday before inching back up. At FanDuel Sportsbook, 58 percent of the money and 63 percent of the bets are on the Bucs.

At SI Sportsbook, the over/unders are 51.5 rushing yards for Aaron Jones, 48.5 rushing yards for AJ Dillon and 230.5 passing yards for Aaron Rodgers. Who will be the main man among the beat-up receiver corps? Who knows. Maybe nobody. Allen Lazard has an over/under of 41.5 yards and Romeo Doubs’ is 34.5.

Bakhtiari In … Nijman Out

David Bakhtiari is back. The Packers’ All-Pro offensive tackle will be in the starting lineup, meaning Yosh Nijman will be nudged aside.

Nijman’s been fantastic by any standard, especially considering his undrafted roots. The weekly wondering about Bakhtiari has had Nijman dealing with the unknown, as well.

“Coach Stenavich wants us all to prepare like we’re starters. So, that’s the mind-set from the first guy to the last guy that’s dressing for that game,” Nijman said. “You’re preparing to start. That’s the mind-set, no matter how it looks or whoever’s out there. Our mind-set’s to come off the ball and get the job done.”

Predictably, the No. 1 line will be Bakhtiari at left guard, Jon Runyan at left guard, Josh Myers at center, Royce Newman at right guard and Elgton Jenkins at right tackle.

It’s the Heat … and the Humidity

The Packers will be wearing their home green jerseys. Why? Because the Buccaneers will want them to melt under the late September sun. It will be about 90 degrees with a feels-like temperature of 96 at kickoff.

The Packers aren’t long removed from the heat and humidity of training camp but it was a cool week of practice and it’s only about 30 degrees cooler in Green Bay on Sunday.

“This is the best weather in Green Bay this time of year,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “We usually get a little bit of humidity during the day and it cools off at night. Be a little warmer down in Tampa, I’m sure, but we’ll be fine.”

Perhaps running back AJ Dillon was more realistic.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was a factor,” he said. “Being a cold-weather team playing in Florida is just like when those hot weather teams come up here and we say it’s to our advantage. There’s definitely things you’ve got to prepare for, make sure you’re hydrated and taking care of your body. Everybody who’s in this locker room has played somewhere hot or played against somewhere hot at some point in their career. So, yeah, it is a factor but it shouldn’t be anything that takes us out of our game.”

Packers-Buccaneers Inactives

You know who’s out. The list includes receiver Christian Watson for the Packers and receiver Julio Jones and left tackle Donovan Smith for the Buccaneers.

Kicker Mason Crosby, who didn’t practice on Thursday and Friday due to illness, will be in the lineup yet again. That will run his ironman streak to an NFL-high 244 consecutive games. Meanwhile, veteran Marcedes Lewis is active, too, after being listed as questionable with a groin injury. He’s started 31 consecutive games – tops at the position.

Packers-Buccaneers: Best Things We Heard

The Green Bay Packers will play at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Here's what we heard this week.

Joe Barry’s Memories of Tom Brady Go Way Back

Somehow, Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry needs to make the legendary Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady a bit uneasy.

As it turns out, they go way back.

Brady was a sixth-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2000 after an excellent career at Michigan. Barry was a defensive quality control coach for the San Francisco 49ers after stints at USC, Northern Arizona and UNLV. Their first game in the NFL? The Hall of Fame Game. The Patriots won 20-0, with Brady completing 3-of-4 passes for 28 yards in the fourth quarter.

“The guy truly is unbelievable,” Barry said. “It’s weird thinking back. I actually thought about this the other day … to how long ago that was for me as a coach and I’m like, ‘This dude’s still playing.’ It’s crazy. He’s phenomenal, he really is. Doesn’t matter where he’s playing or who he’s playing with, he’s just one of those guys that he’s, like you said, you’re not going to fool him. . But, obviously, one of the all-time greats.”

Local Lineman: Luke Goedeke

The Buccaneers are starting a rookie at left guard. His name? Luke Goedeke. His hometown? Whitelaw, which is located about 45 miles south of Green Bay. His path to the NFL? Unique.

Saying he had “negative-2” recruiting stars, Goedeke began his career at Division III Wisconsin-Stevens Point. As a freshman starter, he caught 12 passes in 2017. He always had Division I dreams, so he sent his film to Wisconsin and Central Michigan. CMU offered him a scholarship.

“Funny story,” he said before the draft. “I got to Central and they’re like, ‘All right, you’ll get your shot at tight end.’ I go to the equipment room and, of course, they tell me the only cleats they have are these offensive line cleats. So, I was out in fall camp the first week, week-and-a-half running routes in these offensive line cleats, just slipping and sliding all over the place.”

A conversation with the tight ends coach convinced him his best shot to get on the field was to move to offensive line. He consumed about 6,500 calories per day and worked himself into a two-year starter at right tackle.

“I’d try and gorge myself and eat until I couldn’t eat anymore, feel like I’m going to puke and stuff,” he said. “But just knew I had to gain weight to play the position and I’m all about the position, so I’m just going to grind in the weight room and eat my ass off at the end of the day.”

He had a predraft visit with the Packers but the Buccaneers drafted him in the second round of this year’s draft. He’s started both games to open the season.

“Good player,” defensive tackle Kenny Clark said. “He’s a rookie so he’s learning. Big guy in there. He’s strong, stout. That’s the story about all their offensive linemen. Firm-setting kind of guys, like to play inside and out. Definitely, he’s got some game in him. I think he’s a good player. He’s strong in the run game, also.”

Tackling a Weakness

It’s early in the season but one of Green Bay’s strengths last season has turned into a weakness. Last season, according to SportsRadar, the Packers missed 87 tackles. That’s 5.12 per game, second-best in the league. Their missed-tackle rate of 8.7 percent was eighth-best.

Against Minnesota and Chicago, the Packers missed 16 tackles. That 8.0 average is fourth-most and their missed-tackle percentage of 12.8 percent is the third-worst.

Bad tackling is an obvious byproduct of the coaching give-and-take. A coach can be physical in training camp and play his starters in the preseason games so they’re better prepared for the regular season. Coach Matt LaFleur, obviously, took the other route. With a focus on a healthy roster for the games that matter, there was no live tackling at practice and the starers didn’t play in the preseason.

“A lot of guys hadn’t tackled for eight months and they’ve only had two live opportunities to do it,” Barry said, those first two opportunities being the first two games. “You can practice throwing, catching, hitting the sled, getting off blocks, but the only way to practice full-speed live tackling is to do it.

“You’ve got to be creative coming up with drills that they’re not full-speed live drills but you try to make something as full speed and as live as possible, even though you’re tackling a sled or a bag, some kind of apparatus. And then you’ve got to teach it and preach it. Teach angles, teach leverage. Those are things that we constantly talk about because you get one chance during the week to tackle live and that’s on gameday.”

Pat’s Punting

For years, Packers special teams coordinators have wanted their punters to kick with hang time and precision to make life as easy as possible for the coverage unit. That’s not how Rich Bisaccia operates. In fact, Bisaccia said, veteran Pat O’Donnell is calling the shots on gamedays.

“I think if you look at Pat kind of like a golfer, he’s got a lot of different clubs in his bag,” Bisaccia explained. “There’s been different punts at different places we’ve been on the field in the two games that we’ve played. That’s kind of what I mean about calling his pitches. If he wants to go left, right, down the middle, hit a big ball, hit a flop, whatever those things are, we work all those situations on the field during the week of practice, on Wednesday and usually on Friday.

“And then he has a chance to look at the script at the end of the week, and we’ll meet Saturday morning and go through those scripts and see what we want to do where we are on the field, and then the wind is always going to play a factor in the punt he decides to do, so there’s a lot involved in it. What’s the front, what’s the protection, are they overload, are they even, are they doubled on one side or doubled on the other, those things. So, that’s kind of what I mean about him calling his pitches.”

The production of O’Donnell and the punt team has been one of Green Bay’s early strengths.

Twin Inside Linebackers

The Buccaneers have had dominant defenses over the last few years thanks in large part to the play of their dynamic inside linebackers.

Lavonte David, a two-time Pro Bowler, is in his 12th NFL season. He’s recorded 27 sacks, 26 forced fumbles and 12 interceptions during a stalwart career. Devin White was the fifth pick of the 2019 draft and a first-time Pro Bowler last year. In 2020, when the Bucs won at Green Bay in the NFC Championship Game, he had 140 tackles, nine sacks and 15 tackles for losses in the regular season and 15 tackles in the title game.

“You’ve got two alphas right there and, collectively, those two guys are probably as good as it gets in this league,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.

LaFleur is hoping for the same sort of impact from his pairing. Coming off an All-Pro season, the Packers re-signed De’Vondre Campbell. Then, they drafted Quay Walker. Potentially, they’ll be the team’s tandem for the next five seasons.

“I think they’re growing each and every day,” LaFleur said. “Quay’s getting more and more comfortable. He’s got a lot to experience in front of him. There’s nothing better than going out there and playing in those games. If you look back, it seems to me that over the last two games he’s gotten better within the flow of the game. The longer the game goes, the better he’s gotten.”