On Sunday, two QB GOATs met for just the 5th time. Squaring off for a…defensive showdown.
Let’s run through the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from this weekend’s Packers vs. Bucs down-to-the-wire snoozefest.
The Good
Dominant Defense
Brady’s top three receivers: Julio Jones, Chris Godwin, and Mike Evans, were missing through a knee injury, hamstring injury, and suspension, respectively.
Still, the Packer’s defense remained sensational and resolute in holding Tampa Bay to 285 total yards and 4.8 yards per play.
The Green Bay Packers just held Tom Brady to 12 points. The Packer defense has arrived.
— Wisconsin Family (@Wisconsin_fam) September 25, 2022
The Packers forced and recovered two fumbles. Additionally, they got two sacks from outside linebacker Rashan Gary and nose tackle Kenny Clark.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers drove 89 yards at the tail end for a touchdown that got them within 14 – 12. However, on the two-point conversion, Tampa Bay had a game penalty delay that pushed the ball back to the seven.
Brady tried to hit Russel Gage at the end zone’s right corner for the tie, but Packer’s linebacker De’Vondre Campbell kicked the ball away, getting his team to prevail.
Green Bay’s nose tackle Kenny Clark said,
“It’s huge. It goes to show the character of the team.”
Pat McAfee had a good take:
“It’s a GREAT day to be a Green Bay Packers fan” ~@tyschmit#PMSOverreactionMonday pic.twitter.com/U0GklJzAns
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 26, 2022
David Bakhtiari Is Back!
After 21 months of tearing his ACL, David Bakhtiari was back at his usual left tackle spot.
He played the opening series and then shared his time with Yosh Nijman for the rest of the way.
“Yeah, I think it’s what I expected from plenty of things from the level of play, conditioning, and the talent out there against an incredible defense, but I just think I liked where we were at,” he said.
When Bakhtiari tore his ACL on December 31. In 2020, he was debatably the NFL’s best-left tackle.
We’ll have to give him another few weeks before we decide whether he’s retained that title.
The Bad
Opening Drives
The opening drives have been difficult for Green Bay’s defense.
They allowed touchdowns to Chicago and Minnesota on their game’s opening drives in Weeks 1 and 2.
Tampa Bay started Sunday’s game with a 10-play, 48-yard drive that resulted in Ryan Succop’s field goal.
Yet, for the rest of the game, Green Bay’s defense was stout.
Bottomline, correction of the team’s early struggles is paramount.
Ball Security
Green Bay led 14 – 3 late in the 2nd quarter and got to Tampa Bay’s 5-yard line.
Aaron James caught an inside slant on a third and goal and attempted to find his way towards the end zone. He reached the two-yard line and Buccaneers’ nose tackle Vita Vea drilled him.
Aaron fumbled, and safety Logan R. recovered in the endzone.
Rather than going up by at least 14, the Packer’s lead remained at 11.
The Ugly
Dreadful Second Half
After Green Bay’s head coach Matt La Fleur outclassed Tampa Bay’s defense in the first half, his team’s offense couldn’t get going in the 2nd half.
“It can be frustrating,” he said.
“But the thing is you’ve got to maintain the bigger picture. I thought with how our defense played; we must credit Tampa’s defense with the adjustments they made. We’ll look, learn, and get better from it.”
I think this tweet accurately sums up just how ugly the Packer’s offense has been this season:
Through Week 3, the Bears offense has scored more points than the Packers offense. That is not a joke.
— Dave Kluge (@DaveKluge) September 26, 2022
