Baker Mayfield must have woken up feeling dangerous. The former first-round pick had his best game as a Buccaneer on Sunday while leading Tampa to a 34-20 win over the Packers. In the process, Mayfield became the first visiting quarterback to post a perfect passer rating at Lambeau Field.
Mayfield threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns on 22 of 28 passing (generating a perfect 158.3 passer rating) while leading the Buccaneers to a third straight win. Like Mayfield, Chris Godwin also had a monstrous day with 155 yards on 10 catches. Rachaad White complemented Mayfield and the passing game with 89 yards on 21 carries. White was also one of four Buccaneers players to catch a touchdown pass.
Jordan Love and the Packers offense tried to keep pace and were down by only three points late in the third quarter. But a promising drive that stalled in the red zone and a turnover on consecutive fourth quarter drives sealed the Packers' fate. Love finished the game with 284 yards and two touchdowns on 29 of 39 passing, but got little support from a running game that picked up just 60 yards on 17 carries.
Here's a closer look at what transpired in Green Bay.
Why the Buccaneers won
Tampa Bay dictated the tempo of the game for its entirely. On offense, the Buccaneers enjoyed near perfect balance with 28 passes and 27 runs. Defensively, Todd Bowles' unit made several big stands in the red zone that included a turnover on downs on the Packers' first possession.
Really, though, this game came down to the Buccaneers' star players playing like stars, especially Godwin, who made the most of his opportunities. Godwin's playmaking helped open things up for Mike Evans, who had a quiet start before giving Tampa Bay the lead for good on a 19-yard touchdown catch early in the second quarter.
Why the Packers lost
While they sacked him five times (that included a strip-sack that led to the Packers' forced fumble), Green Bay's defense could not stop Mayfield and wasn't much better against White, who has rushed for at least 84 yards in each of Tampa's last four games.
Offensively, the Packers' running game was nonexistent after some early success from Aaron Jones. Love was good, but he and his teammates were just 2 of 5 in the red zone, which was a key factor in the loss. Love's late fumble ended any hopes of a Green Bay comeback.
On a positive note, the Packers received big games from rookie wideout Dontayvion Wicks and tight end Tucker Kraft. Kraft caught four passes that included the Packers' first touchdown. Wicks hauled in six passes for 97 yards.
Turning point
It was a 10-10 game before the Buccaneers ended the first half and started the second half with scores. After a Chase McLaughlin field goal gave Tampa Bay a 13-10 halftime lead, the Buccaneers defense forced a quick turnover on downs to start the second half. Mayfield then engineered an 8-play, 66-yard drive that was punctuated by his 26-yard touchdown pass to White.
Play of the game
The Buccaneers' stars played a big role in the win, but the play's biggest play was turned in by David Moore, whose 52-yard catch-and-run for a score proved to be the knockout punch. On the play, Moore caught the ball with two defenders in the area before turning upfield and leaving the rest of Green Bay's defense in his wake.
Making the play even tougher to stomach for Green Bay was the fact that its defensive backs did not take the bait on Evans running a deep route on the near side of the field. The Packers had the play properly covered but were still unable to stop Moore, who scored his first touchdown since the 2020 season.
What's next
Tampa Bay will play host to the Jaguars, who are in a tight race with the Colts for the AFC South division title. The Buccaneers will finish up the regular season with a home game against the Saints and a road game against the Panthers.
Green Bay will play its first of back-to-back road games against the Panthers, who own the NFL's worst record. The Packers will then face the Vikings in Minnesota before closing out the regular season at home against the Bears.