Packers-Buccaneers Matchups: Both Teams Have Huge Advantages

The Green Bay Packers are back on the road for the third time in four weeks as they are looking to get back on track against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

If there were ever a place where the Packers might want to avoid when they are reeling, it’s Raymond James Stadium. Since that stadium opened, the Packers are 3-8 in 11 games and have struggled to put points on the scoreboard. The last time the Packers played at Tampa Bay, it was the last time that Aaron Rodgers would face Tom Brady in their Hall of Fame careers. The final score was 14-12.

With the way Green Bay’s offense has played since the fourth quarter against Minnesota, that might need to be the style of game the Packers need to play.

More on that as we get to our weekly matchups.

Bucs Pass Offense vs. Packers Pass Defense

How will the Packers handle the unknown at quarterback? Last week, the Packers got a sudden change in their game plan when it was announced Michael Penix Jr. would be starting for the Falcons instead of Cooper Rush or Jack Strand.

The results were disastrous for Green Bay as Penix and receiver Drake London tore through Green Bay’s secondary. The pass rush was largely nonexistent after the first half due largely to Atlanta’s balanced attack.

This week, the Packers have an even bigger unknown to face at quarterback. Tampa Bay’s star signal-caller, Baker Mayfield, will miss the game on Sunday with a dislocated thumb he suffered in their loss to the Vikings.

That means Tampa’s starting quarterback will be Jalon Daniels, an undrafted rookie out of Kansas.

Daniels completed 27-of-44 passes in the preseason with one touchdown and no interceptions. He added another 28 yards on the ground with a touchdown. He’s a dual-threat quarterback that will likely require some creativity from offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. His mobility could be helpful with the Buccaneers allowing the highest sack percentage in the league.

Green Bay’s secondary, which gave up 194 receiving yards to Drake London last week, faces a different challenge in second-year receiver Emeka Egbuka.

Egbuka caught 63 passes for 938 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie. He’s off to a slower start this year as Tampa Bay’s offense has sputtered through three weeks. Egbuka only has 143 yards receiving on 13 catches. Perhaps the Bucs will see Green Bay’s secondary as an opportunity for him to have his breakout game.

Tight end Cade Otton and receiver Chris Godwin have also been frequent targets for Mayfield through the first three games with 11 and 10 catches, respectively. Egbuka and rookie receiver Ted Hurst have the only touchdown catches.

With the ultimate unknown at quarterback, however, it’s hard to give the edge to Tampa Bay.

Advantage: Packers

Bucs Rush Offense vs. Packers Run Defense

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) carries the ball against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bucky Irving is the leading man for Tampa Bay’s backfield, and the Bucs have leaned on him through three games. He’s carried the ball 40 times and is averaging 4.5 yards per carry; he’s tied with Egbuka for the team lead with 13 catches, as well.

Apart from him, there has been a lot to be desired from Kenneth Gainwell, the backup runner. Signed from Pittsburgh in free agency after he totaled 1,023 combined rushing and receiving yards, he’s carried 10 times for 21 yards. Irving has been the bell cow, and that could continue in Sunday’s game.

The other part of Tampa’s run game that got more interesting is the insertion of Daniels into the lineup. With sacks taken out of the equation, he rushed for 1,040 yards and 10 touchdowns during his final two seasons at Kansas. Expect some designed quarterback runs along with some zone-read plays to allow Daniels to potentially make some plays with his legs.

On defense, the Packers had been excellent in the run before getting hit with a Bijan Robinson-sized anvil on Thursday against the Falcons.

Robinson ran around, over and through Green Bay’s hapless defense. Even when they had him bottled up, they could not get him on the ground as Robinson rumbled for 194 yards. He likely could have named his yardage total if the Falcons continued to give him the ball.

Could that have been a byproduct of the Packers having to play four days after their defense was on the field a bunch against the Jets, including an overtime period? Perhaps.

This week is a bit of a prove-it week for Green Bay’s defense. We’ve seen plenty of short stretches of good defense by the Packers. The 2026 group needs to prove the first two games were not a mirage.

Advantage: Push.

Bucs Pass Defense vs. Packers Passing Offense

Can the Packers block anyone? The answer from the front office appears to be they don’t think so after the Packers shattered their mold this week.

Thursday’s game against Atlanta was horrendous. Jordan Love faced 15 quick pressures, according to Next Gen Stats. They could not run a functional offense with the way the offensive line has played through three weeks.

When asked after the game if he needed help from the outside, coach Matt LaFleur punted on the question, saying he needed to see the film before making any statement like that.

It appears with the signings of veteran guards Laken Tomlinson and Mekhi Becton the answer was a resounding yes. Will either be able to play on Sunday? Tomlinson is more likely than Becton. Tomlinson had been practicing with the Dallas Cowboys while Becton spent most of the offseason recovering from labrum surgery.

Will Tomlinson, who has played left guard throughout his creer, play right guard if Aaron Banks is healthy enough to play? Does Cordell Volson, another veteran who the Packers signed recently, get run at right guard over Jacob Monk if Banks is unable to go and Tomlinson plays left guard?

Those are all questions the Packers will need to answer before the game on Sunday begins.

Once it does begin, expect no mercy from Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles. The Bucs have the highest blitz rate of any team this season not named the Vikings, who of course are run by mad scientist Brian Flores.

Bowles has seen the tape. He knows the weaknesses that Green Bay has on its front. He’s going to send the house early and often.

Can the Packers hold up? Through three weeks, the answer has been a resounding no.

The Bucs have six sacks, with David Walker leading with two. First-round pick Rueben Bain was inactive for the Minnesota game with a groin injury.

It does not matter who Green Bay’s receivers and tight ends are. If they cannot block, they’re dead on arrival. Until proven otherwise, the Packers are dead on arrival.

Advantage: Bucs.

Bucs Rush Defense vs. Green Bay’s Rush Offense

Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson (26) runs the ball defended by Atlanta Falcons cornerback C.J. Henderson. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Green Bay’s rushing attack is not just bad, it’s been historically bad. Through three weeks, the Packers have their fewest rushing yards in a three-game stretch since 1933.

It does not matter who has been in the backfield, vision has left a lot to be desired. MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson have missed holes that could have allowed them to gain more yards. The blockers, of course, haven’t exactly helped.

As a result, Matt LaFleur abandoned the run game altogether against Atlanta. Yes, the game got out of hand, which is part of the reason they only had nine rushes. It’s also true the split at the end of the first quarter was 12 passes and three runs.

Will LaFleur try to establish his ground game even if it doesn’t work? He may not have a choice. The rate at which Jordan Love is getting hit is lending itself to an injury to the quarterback sooner than later.

It’s also true that the lack of ground game is leading to less efficiency in the passing game. Green Bay’s play-action game has been affected because opposing defenses have no respect for its run game.

“A lot,” LaFleur said on Thursday when asked how the lack of success running the ball can affect his play action passing game.

Unfortunately for the Packers, Tampa Bay’s run defense has allowed 76 rushing yards per game. That’s good for second in the NFL behind only the Falcons, who the Packers just abandoned running the ball against.

It’s a stoppable force meeting an immovable object, and the advantage here is immense.

Advantage: Bucs.

Special Teams

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Myles Price (4) returns a punt for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Green Bay’s special teams followed up their best game in what seemed like a decade with a bit of a dud. Its return game was shut down with Skyy Moore having little room to roam against Atlanta’s kick coverage.

Trey Smack made both of his extra points but had a field goal blocked that would have tied the game at 10 in the second quarter. To add further to the insult, the Falcons only had 10 men on the field. Cam Achord was seen throwing his headset on the sideline after the play was over, and for good reason. Those are the type of mistakes that cannot happen, especially on point-scoring plays.

Tampa Bay kicker Chase McLaughlin is a perfect 6-for-6 this season on field goals and 4-for-4 on extra points. Punter Riley Dixon has a 47.1-yard average on punts.

The return units are potent. Kameron Johnson (30.6-yard average) and Kenneth Gainwell (26.0 are the kickoff returners and Tez Johnson (11.2) is the punt returner.

The Packers need to be better in the third phase of the game this week and get back on track. This could be the week to do it. The Bucs are reeling after giving up a punt return for a touchdown to Minnesota’s Myles Price last week.

With both teams reeling, let’s call it even.

Advantage: Push.

Help's on the way for the Packers, but it's not Micah Parsons. ⬇️https://t.co/bY9EFeQWLp
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 28, 2026

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