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BUCCANEERS vs. PACKERS

WHEN: Sunday, September 25, 2022 | WHERE: Raymond James Stadium | KICKOFF: 4:25 p.m. ET | TV: FOX

PLAY-BY-PLAY: Kevin Burkhardt |ANALYST: Greg Olsen | SIDELINE: Erin Andrews & Tom Rinaldi

RADIO: 98 ROCK 97.9 FM | PLAY-BY-PLAY: Gene Deckerhoff | ANALYST: Dave Moore | SIDELINE: T.J. Rives

Game day is approaching, and it’s time for the Pewter Report staff to make its weekly game predictions and offer up our game preview of this week’s matchup. Let us know what you think in the article comments section and add your prediction, too.

Scott Reynolds: Defense Helps Bucs Continue Mastery Over Packers

Up until last week, the Saints just had the Bucs’ number. Tampa Bay snapped a 0-7 losing streak with a 20-10 win in New Orleans. The Bucs own a recent, 2-0 winning streak over the Packers, with both wins coming in the 2020 season. Tampa Bay beat Green Bay at home, 38-10, during the regular season and then 31-26 on the road in the NFC Championship Game. Tampa Bay’s defense played great football in both games, recording five sacks in each of those games and picking off Aaron Rodgers a total of three times, including a Jamel Dean pick-six at Ray-Jay. With the Bucs offense struggling to put up points, scoring a combined two touchdowns in the first two games, the defense will have to have a similar performance.

Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs defense leads the league in scoring defense (6.5 ppg.) and sacks (10) and is tied for second in interceptions (four) to start the 2022 season. The Bucs also are tied for having the NFL’s third-down defense (25%). The team they’re tied with? The Green Bay Packers, who have also been exceptional stopping offenses on third down. Whoever wins the turnover battle and wins third down will win this game. Despite playing with a banged up wide receiving corps that is missing Mike Evans due to a suspension, the Bucs still have Tom Brady. But Brady is banged up himself with an injured ring finger on his throwing hand. That’s something to watch on Sunday.

The Bucs will need a big game from Breshad Perriman, and a better game from Scotty Miller and Russell Gage, who is battling a hamstring injury, through the air. And Tampa Bay will need to lean on Leonard Fournette once again to come through on the ground. But most of all, the Bucs defense will need to continue to don the Superman cape and make big plays against Rodgers and a Packers offense that is trying to find life after Davante Adams. The Bucs also get an assist from the home crowd and three field goals from Ryan Succop to improve to 3-0 on the season.

REYNOLDS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 23, Packers 17
REYNOLDS’ SEASON RECORD: 1-1

Matt Matera: Bucs Stay Undefeated In Tight Matchup

This game has two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, but it won’t be a passing masterpiece given the talent. Instead of marveling at the arms of Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, we’re going to see two teams that are looking to run the ball often and play great defense. Don’t worry, it’ll still make for an entertaining game that may come down to the last moment.

Bucs QB Tom Brady and Packers QB Aaron Rodgers – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs once again head into this game with a lot of uncertainty at receiver. Mike Evans is suspended and it doesn’t look like Chris Godwin is playing either. Julio Jones will be a game time decision, so that leaves Breshad Perriman, Scotty Miller and newly signed Cole Beasley as the team’s main targets. So what’s the plan? Run it with Leonard Fournette. The Bucs have committed to the run game heavily the first two weeks. The Packers allowed 182 yards on the ground against the Bears, so the Bucs will look to exploit that this week. They’ve moved the ball down the field, it’s just a matter of executing in the red zone.

Defensively, Tampa Bay has been one of the few team’s to have Aaron Rodgers number. But this time around, look for the two-headed monster of Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon to be the focal point. Green Bay accounted for over 200 rushing yards last week and both running backs are top targets in the passing game. There’ll be a lot of relying on Devin White and Lavonte David to get stops. Because we’ll see a lot of running and defense, I think it’s another low-scoring affair but a close one the whole time. Tampa Bay has a little extra juice in their first home game and remain undefeated in a very close game.

MATERA’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 24, Packers 23
MATERA’S SEASON RECORD: 1-1

JC Allen: Bucs Bring The Pressure, Move To 3-0 On The Season

Pressure is the name of the game when it comes to how the Bucs should attack Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense. It has been a successful formula over their last two match ups with the defense totaling nine sacks and forcing three interceptions. In an August interview, Rodgers said Bucs head coach Todd Bowles has done a really good job at throwing certain disguises his way to create confusion over the years. Expect a ton of that on Sunday with a new look secondary and Shaq Barrett among the league leaders in pressures.

Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With a new group of receivers, the Packers are expected to lean heavily on the run this season. The duo of Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon have combined for 287 yards on the ground. However, they’ve struggled to gain momentum in the past against Tampa Bay’s stout run defense, averaging just 80 yards on the ground the past two contests.  Lavonte David and Devin White will be busy slowing down the two-headed monster in the backfield. Bowles will challenge Rodgers to throw against his secondary with no Davante Adams and a defensive backfield which has forced six turnovers in the team’s first two games.

The Bucs will be looking to get Leonard Fournette going and establish the run on themselves. After the Packers defense allowed over 200 yards to the Bears running backs they have to like their chances this week. But if that fails the Bucs still have Tom Brady and a decent group of receivers – even with Mike Evans suspended and Chris Godwin sidelined. Green Bay has a solid unit though, and Tampa Bay will have to earn every yard. This matchup could mimic that of last week’s win over the Saints in a low-scoring, defensive tilt. In what looked to be the Bucs’ toughest stretch of schedule, they come out of Week 3 undefeated, notching their first home win of the season.

ALLEN’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 20, Packers 17
ALLEN’S SEASON RECORD: 1-1

Bailey Adams: Bucs Offense Does Enough, Defense Gets It Done Again

Despite their offense struggling to find its best in the first two games, the Bucs are 2-0. Tampa Bay’s defense has been the key, forcing six turnovers and tallying 10 sacks in two road games while giving up a combined 13 points. It feels like Todd Bowles’ defensive unit deserves more love nationally for its hot start to the season. The love it has gotten has come with the (understandable) caveat that Dallas and New Orleans aren’t exactly offensive juggernauts. On that front, the Packers will pose more of a challenge in Week 3. Or will they?

Bucs ILB Devin White and Packers QB Aaron Rodgers – Photo by: USA Today

Yes, Green Bay’s offense is led by Aaron Rodgers, the reigning back-to-back NFL MVP and a surefire future Hall of Famer. But outside of Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon in the backfield, I’m not sure any of Rodgers’ weapons will scare anyone on the Tampa Bay side of things. The Buccaneer defense, returning to Raymond James Stadium to play in front of its home crowd for the first time this regular season, handled Rodgers well in 2020. I think it’ll come through once again on Sunday afternoon. It may not be the same as holding the Cowboys to three points or the Saints to 10, but I think Tampa Bay gets another heroic effort from its defense for the third straight week.

Now, the Bucs are still finding their footing offensively. The Packers will likely give them some trouble on defense themselves, as that unit is led by Preston Smith (two sacks), Rashan Gary (two sacks) and Kenny Clark. Jaire Alexander (one interception) is a tough corner on the outside, and the Bucs aren’t exactly stacked at the receiver position given the injuries to Chris Godwin and Julio Jones, as well as Mike Evans’ suspension. But I like Tampa Bay to once again do enough offensively to complement its defense. When the schedule came out and we saw these tough first four games, I had the Bucs starting 2-2 or 3-1. Beating New Orleans last week has me leaning toward 3-1, and next week feels more like a slip-up than this one. Bucs win again, leaving the home fans thrilled heading into a Sunday Night Football showdown against the Chiefs in Week 4.

ADAMS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 23, Packers 17
ADAMS’ SEASON RECORD: 1-1

Josh Queipo: Defense Is Good, But Not Good Enough This Time

The Bucs have vaulted to an enviable position in the NFC on the backs of a defense that is balling out. But against an even banged up Packers’ offense the challenge will be greater, and the tight rope narrower to walk this week. Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers had an uncharacteristically bad game in 2020 when the two teams met last in the regular season. Two turnovers, especially a pivotal one to Bucs cornerback Jamel Dean doomed the pack.

Bucs CB Jamel Dean – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

I don’t anticipate that history repeating itself this week. Rodgers will more than likely take care of the ball. And the Packers are leaning even more into a successful rushing attack that I think will challenge a Bucs unit that has given up its fair share of yards per carry this season. Last week turnovers were required to turn the tables on the Saints, and while I had faith it would happen then, I do not share that faith this week.

It’s future Hall of Fame quarterback against future Hall of Fame quarterback. It’s a push. The offensive lines are similarly dealing with injuries and shuffling. Both have good pass rushes. Both have great talent in their secondary. The Bucs get the edge at linebacker. But to me the Packers have the superior rushing attack in AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones. With both receiving cores banged up these two teams are painfully evenly matched. And while I am a proponent of running games mattering much less in this day and age, all other things being equal that wins out in my mind.

QUEIPO’S GAME PREDICTION: Packers 21, Bucs 17
QUEIPO’S SEASON RECORD: 2-0

Kasey Hudson: Tampa Bay Wins A Close One, Stays Undefeated

Regardless of the Bucs last two performances, the injury report serves up many questions. Will next man up be enough for the Week 3 matchup against the Packers? Chris Godwin and Akiem Hicks will be out. Julio Jones will be a game-time decision and head coach Todd Bowles remains vague on how much action new addition Cole Beasley will see Sunday.

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today

Green Bay has some incredible pass rushers in Rashan Gary and Preston Smith who will test this offensive line, but the Bucs offensive line has fared decently well against Micah Parsons and Cameron Jordan. I anticipated a big day for Leonard Fournette versus the Saints, but most of the Bucs success came through the air, a plan of attack I believe can be successful against the Packers’ secondary. Russell Gage needs to take more reps, Breshad Perriman needs to step up consistently and Cole Beasley has to make the catches Scotty Miller struggles with.

As for the Packers, they have had the most success running the ball with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillion. Yet, the Tampa Bay defense will be prepared for that, forcing Aaron Rodgers to throw the ball against a secondary coming off a very successful performance in New Orleans. If the Bucs force Rodgers to throw the ball, this is a team that has collected 9 sacks in their last two contests with the Packers and if we all know one thing about Aaron Rodgers, it’s that he does not like being hit. The Bucs defense will once again be the x-factor of the game and come up big against Green Bay. Tampa Bay sails to 3-0.

HUDSON’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 27, Packers 24
HUDSON’S SEASON RECORD: 2-0