After a devastating loss to the Falcons in Week 3, the Packers needed to give themselves something to build on. They found it at Raymond James Stadium, holding off the Buccaneers 17–14 behind two Jordan Love touchdown passes, a productive defense and a critical kick from Trey Smack.
It was a narrow win with plenty left to clean up. But Green Bay left Tampa with the response it needed.
Love Delivers Enough
Love completed 22 of 30 passes for 197 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Green Bay allowed no sacks, giving its quarterback a chance to operate even as the running game struggled to gain consistent ground.
The Packers opened the scoring with a 16-play, 68-yard possession that consumed 9:16. Love finished it with a two-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Golden early in the second quarter.
Tampa Bay answered with Sean Tucker’s two-yard rushing touchdown, but Smack gave Green Bay a 10–7 halftime lead with a 58-yard field goal as time expired. In a game ultimately decided by three points, that kick proved essential.
Green Bay then put together an eight-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. Love’s two-yard pass to Tucker Kraft extended the lead to 17–7 with 10:32 remaining in the third quarter.
Kraft finished with six catches for 42 yards and a touchdown. Christian Watson led the Packers with 47 receiving yards on three catches.
Defense Protects the Lead
Tampa Bay quarterback Jalon Daniels completed 19 of 27 passes for 148 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Green Bay recorded three sacks for 14 yards in losses, leaving the Buccaneers with 134 net passing yards.
Daniels also rushed for 55 yards, while Bucky Irving added 61. Tampa Bay finished with 141 rushing yards, but its ground production could not overcome the interceptions and limited passing output.
The Buccaneers cut the deficit to 17–14 on Daniels’ 10-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Gainwell just 11 seconds into the fourth quarter. Green Bay held Tampa Bay scoreless for the remainder of the game.
Fourth Down Makes the Difference
Green Bay converted just two of 10 third-down attempts. That remains a concern for an offense that produced 283 total yards and only 86 on the ground.
The Packers compensated by going a perfect three-for-three on fourth down. Those conversions helped keep possessions alive when third down repeatedly failed them.
Tampa Bay had more first downs, 19 to 15, and converted five of 12 third downs. Green Bay still found enough decisive plays to leave with the win.
The S³ Take
The NFC North may prove to be the NFL’s best division. For Green Bay, staying in that conversation requires turning difficult afternoons into victories.
The Packers’ offense still needs more consistency, particularly on third down and in the running game. But after the disappointment against Atlanta, their defense, fourth-down execution and special teams supplied a much-needed rebound.
Final: Packers 17, Buccaneers 14.
