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BUCCANEERS vs. PACKERS

WHEN: Sunday, October 4, 2026 | WHERE: Raymond James Stadium | KICKOFF: 1:00 p.m. ET | TV: FOX

PLAY-BY-PLAY: Chris Myers | ANALYST: Jonathan Vilma | SIDELINE: Jen Hale

RADIO: 98 ROCK 97.9 FM | PLAY-BY-PLAY: Tony Castricone | ANALYST: Dave Moore | SIDELINE: Jay Recher

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: Bucs Fall To 0-4 With Another Close Loss

Can the Bucs beat the Packers? Yes, there is a path to victory – even with an undrafted rookie free agent quarterback starting in Jalon Daniels. Should Tampa Bay beat Green Bay? Probably, if the Bucs can win the line of scrimmage and the turnover margin – two things they’ve yet to truly be able to do during the team’s 0-3 start.

The recipe for success is to run the ball 35-40 times and pound Green Bay’s 28th-ranked run defense while limiting Daniels to maybe 20 throws in this game. That means winning on first down with gains of five yards or more and staying out of third-and-long situations by eliminating penalties. On the other side of the ball it’s leaning into Tampa Bay’s second-ranked run defense once again to stifle Green Bay’s 32nd-ranked rushing attack.

Bucs QB Jalon Daniels – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Then it’s rushing the passer enough to disrupt Jordan Love’s downfield throwing to two speedsters in Christian Watson, a Tampa native, and Matthew Golden, who is coming off his first 100-yard game. The Bucs cornerbacks have played well this year and they’ll have to do so again to cause some coverage sacks. Yet NFL games often come down to who has the better quarterback, and that’s Love over Daniels. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Bucs lose another close, low-scoring game as Zac Robinson’s offense stalls again.

REYNOLDS’ GAME PREDICTION: Packers 23, Bucs 20
REYNOLDS’ SEASON RECORD: 1-2

Matt Matera: Bucs Still Can’t Put A Full Game Together

Both the Bucs and Packers come into this game struggling with only one win between the two teams. If one were to bet on which team can turn the corner quicker, it’s Green Bay. The big storyline for the Bucs is rookie Jalon Daniels making his first career start. How quickly can he get up to speed? That’ll determine this outcome. 

Tampa Bay needs to run the ball often and then run it some more to take advantage of the Packers’ bad rushing defense. They need to make Daniels as comfortable as possible with Bucky Irving, Kenny Gainwell AND Sean Tucker helping him. 

Bucs RBs Kenny Gainwell, Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Do we believe in the Bucs defense yet? I don’t. At least not if David Walker doesn’t play more. If the Bucs don’t generate a pass rush, Jordan Love will carve them up. I believe Tampa Bay’s defense will revert back to its miscues giving the Packers a lead that the Bucs offense, which will be led by Daniels, can’t overcome.

MATERA’S GAME PREDICTION: Packers 30, Bucs 17
MATERA’S SEASON RECORD: 1-2

Adam Slivon: Bucs Correct Enough Mistakes To Finally Get A Win

The Bucs and Packers head into this Week 4 matchup desperately needing a win. In the battle of the bays, there are a lot of eyes on whether Jalon Daniels can get the job done under center against a Green Bay team that is also playing well below expectations. The vibes might not be great in Tampa Bay right now, but they have to win eventually, right?

Bucs QB Jalon Daniels and OC Zac Robinson – Photo by: Cliff Welch

Zac Robinson has come under just as much heat as Todd Bowles this week following a dreadful offensive performance against the Vikings. While Robinson attempted to make adjustments, it was another 60 minutes where the unit looked completely out of sync, especially when it came to situational football on third downs and in the red zone. With Daniels under center, he mentioned how the offense can be scaled back to the rookie’s strengths. It gives me slight optimism that it will lead to better results, and perhaps a game where the ball is better distributed around.

Green Bay lacks significant star power right now with Josh Jacobs and Micah Parsons out, and with an offensive line that has been pieced together with two guys off the street. If there was ever a moment for the light to turn on with the Bucs pass rush, it’s now. Todd Bowles’ unit should shut down the run again this week, but I see the outcome of this one being determined from wide receiver corps does a better job making plays. This is a big week for Tampa Bay’s secondary attempting to shut down Jordan Love from finding Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, and Tucker Kraft.

While I came into this week giving the Bucs no chance against the Packers after what has transpired through three games, I have a funny feeling this will be the week it comes together enough to get an unlikely victory. Maybe I’m just a sucker for a good underdog story…

SLIVON’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 24, Packers 20
SLIVON’S SEASON RECORD: 1-2

Bailey Adams: I Refuse To Fully Believe This Is Where The Bucs Rebound

I had the opportunity to join my friends over at the Pack-A-Day Podcast earlier this week to preview this game, and having only seen a little bit of the Packers this year, I was surprised to learn just how bad the vibes are up in Green Bay right now. So, this is a get-right game for someone. And the more I dive into this matchup, the more I can see a path where the Bucs run the ball effectively, keep life easy for Jalon Daniels in his first career start, shut down the run, pressure Jordan Love early and often and maybe ride the leg of Chase McLaughlin to a win in a close, low-scoring affair.

Bucs K Chase McLaughlin – Photo by: USA Today

But since when can the Bucs ever take the path laid out right in front of them? I really want to believe they execute and take advantage of the fact that this actually doesn’t look like a bad matchup for them even with a debuting quarterback and a decided disadvantage in the head coaching department. But I can’t bring myself to fully believe. Sigh. Give me the Pack. I’d love to be wrong again, though.

ADAMS’ GAME PREDICTION: Packers 24, Bucs 16
ADAMS’ SEASON RECORD: 1-2

Josh Queipo: I’m Committed To The Bit

I’m not stopping now.

“This is the captain speaking. The U.S.S. 2026 Bucs will disregard the iceberg warnings and push full steam ahead with another win predicted.”

Don’t worry. I’m going down with that ship.

Bucs OC Zac Robinson and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

As bad as the Bucs have looked, there are building blocks to a good team. The talent is there, but inconsistent. The gameplans are understandable in theory. This team can score more points. And don’t look now, but the defense is rounding into form. And if there is any team that they can find their pass rush against, it is the 2026 Green Bay Packers offensive line that is now hoping and praying street free agents can form some semblance of a guard for Jordan Love.

If the Bucs were playing any other team, I’d have them losing. They lucked into a sieve. And that will get them their first win of the season.

QUEIPO’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 23, Packers 14
QUEIPO’S SEASON RECORD: 0-3

Nick Geddes: Bucs Keep It Close But Fall Short

If the Bucs want to have a realistic shot at saving their season, they must come away with a victory this Sunday against Green Bay. Sure, they’re only one game back of first place in the NFC South, but history tells us that an 0-4 start is a hole too deep to climb out of. In fact, only one team — the 1992 Chargers — have started 0-4 and rallied to make the postseason.

The matchup with the Packers isn’t as daunting as once expected as Green Bay is going through major problems of its own. The offensive line is in shambles in which they were desperate enough to pick up veterans Kevin Zeitler and Laken Tomlinson earlier this week. Star pass rusher Micah Parsons continues to be sidelined as he makes his way back from injury. The running game has been nonexistent with Josh Jacobs on the Commissioner’s Exempt List.

Packers offensive line – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Those weaknesses are real things that the Bucs can take advantage of. But as we know, that is no guarantee with the current state of this Tampa Bay team. Jalon Daniels is making his NFL debut at quarterback, and we really have no idea what to expect, or how much of Zac Robinson’s offense he has a full handle of.

I’m expecting Daniels to show some flashes, but I don’t trust the entire operation of the Bucs’ offense. I see them struggling to put up enough points and if there’s one thing the Packers have been able to do on offense, it’s get the ball in the hands of Christian Watson and Matthew Golden. Both have tremendous speed and are a handful for opposing cornerbacks.

Ultimately, give me Green Bay as Tampa Bay’s slide continues.

GEDDES’ GAME PREDICTION: Packers 24, Bucs 17
GEDDES’ SEASON RECORD: 1-2