Quick Reaction: Packers 20, Buccaneers 34

Quick Reaction: Packers 20, Buccaneers 34

At Lambeau Field, the Buccaneers beat the Packers 34-20 to climb to 7-7. In the frozen tundra, Baker Mayfield performed like a pro, finishing 22 of 28 passes for 381 yards, four touchdowns, and a perfect passer rating of 158.3. For the fourth straight game, Rachaad White finished with over 100 yards from scrimmage, while Chris Godwin led the offensive with 155 yards on 10 catches.

Chase McLaughlin’s 39-yard field goal was the conclusion of the Buccaneers’ first 10-play, 54-yard drive. On third down, Baker Mayfield was sacked by Kenny Clark, forcing Tampa Bay to settle for three points. Aaron Jones ran for more over 40 yards on the Packers’ first drive. Jordan Love’s incomplete play on fourth and two that missed the intended target Jayden Reed tackled Mayfield and returned to the field. Kingsley Enagbare sacked Mayfield and took the ball at the Tampa Bay four-yard line, turning the tide in favor of the Packers. After Enagbare recovered the ball, the Packers capitalized on the error. After two plays, Tucker Kraft scored a five-yard touchdown for Green Bay.

The second quarter began with a score for the Buccaneers. With a swift release, Mike Evans slipped by the Packers’ covering and gained 14 yards across the middle of the field. Evans’s score at the end of the drive was just appropriate. At Lambeau Field, Mayfield’s 19-yard touchdown throw to Evans in the end zone gave the visiting squad a 10-7 lead. Following a screen, Tucker Kraft gained 36 yards along the left sideline for the Packers, setting them up at the 23-yard line. At 10, the score was knotted when Aaron Jones missed the first attempt on third down, setting up Anders Carlson for a 36-yard field goal. Jake Camarda’s 65-yard punt to the Green Bay four-yard line on the Bucs’ next drive put the Packers in an unfavorable field position. After failing to convert on their subsequent third-and-long play, the Packers were penalized for a delay of game, which led to a 43-yard punt.

Thanks to two plays of more than twenty yards gained by Chris Godwin, the Buccaneers marched down the field just before the half. Godwin executed a spectacular route on the second, and Mayfield connected with No. 14 for a 24-yard gain on second-and-29. The play set up a third-and-five, but McLaughlin’s 46-yard field goal was the result of an incomplete pass. The Bucs had a 211-146 yard edge against the Packers at the half. Godwin took the lead in the opening two frames, accumulating 108 yards on seven grabs.

After the intermission, the Bucs’ defense forced a brief three-and-out. Calijah Kancey collapsed the pocket on first down by firing out of his stance and passing through the inside. Jordan Love was tackled by him, resulting in an incompletion and a second-and-long play. Mayfield returned to the field after Jayden Reed’s incomplete pass on third down. Rachaad White’s 26-yard touchdown run in the third quarter gave the Bucs a 20-10 lead. Chris Godwin set up the scoring with a 15-yard screen. After the catch, Godwin swiftly bounced outside to gain more yards. The Bucs led by ten points after two plays when Mayfield found White, who cut inside and dashed to the end zone. In response, the Packers scored a goal of their own. Jayden Reed took advantage after Malik Heath’s 15-yard diving catch moved the chains. With little over four minutes remaining in the third, Reed made the catch by managing to pull both feet in-bounds on the field, cutting the club’s lead to 20-17.

The Bucs finished a 75-yard drive late in the third quarter with a touchdown. The play that moved Tampa Bay to the Green Bay two-yard line was sparked by Cade Otton, who gained 22 yards on a slant over the middle. The Bucs led 27–17 when Ko Kieft scored from two yards out. During the next drive, Dontayvion Wicks scored two consecutive touchdowns for the Packers, measuring 20 and 19 yards. But the Bucs defense made a crucial stop to limit Green Bay to only three scores. After Christian Izien pressured Love on a crucial third-down pass break by Lavonte David, Carlson converted a 33-yard field goal to make the score 27–20.

The Bucs offense stormed onto the field. David Moore scored a 52-yard touchdown after a 75-yard drive. With two defenders crowded in the catch area, Moore executed a spectacular contested grab. He then immediately activated the jets, moving north-south for the touchdown. With just over six minutes remaining in regulation, the Bucs jumped out to a 34–20 lead. Love was sacked by Lavonte David and Shaq Barrett, who maintained the impressive trend for the defense. After Barrett successfully batted the ball out, Logan Hall recovered at the Green Bay 49-yard line, giving Mayfield favorable field position and sealing the victory away from home.

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