Packers @ Buccaneers Recap - Pack unable to bounce back

Maybe it was all that Wisconsin sports fan juju being directed at the Milwaukee Brewers that left the Packers powerless. Green Bay failed to get back in the win column and continued their futility in Tampa Bay. The Packers have now lost six times in seven trips to Raymond James Stadium and fell to 2-2 on the year. They are tied atop the NFC North division with Chicago, who beat Philadelphia on Sunday night.

The Packers were unable to protect the football in week four. Aaron Rodgers threw three interceptions and Ryan Grant fumbled once. The Buccaneers turned each of those turnovers into points, scoring three touchdowns and a field goal off of the four takeaways. The Packers were unable to overcome, falling 30-21 to Tampa Bay who is now 3-1.

“We’re making the same mistakes, which really bothers me,” Coach Mike McCarty said after the game. “Mistakes are going to happen. I’m not naïve to that. It’s unacceptable for us to do the fundamental things wrong week in and week out. We need to get it fixed.”

Green Bay also struggled mightily to sustain drives. The Packers looked like a confident team on the first drive, converting a fourth and short while marching 58 yards on 10 plays to a score. Rodgers completed a 25 yard pass to Greg Jennings for an easy touchdown in the first quarter, but the Packers offense was able to do little after that. With the offense unable to stay on the field for more than six plays on any drive the rest of the game, the defense was obviously laboring on the Buccaneers last two scoring drives, which resulted in a go-ahead field goal and a touchdown that set the final score.

For the Packers quarterback, it was easily Rodgers worst game thus far, as he completed just 52 percent of his passes and threw his first, second and third picks of the year. To his credit, the first interception should have been a completion that bounced off of Brandon Jackson’s chest and into Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks’ hands. His second interception was badly overthrown as he was trying to hit Donald Driver over the middle. His last interception came as Rodgers was blindsided just as he was releasing the ball, resulting in an off-target throw that went directly to Tampa Bay defensive end Gaines Adams.

Rodgers did not return after that hit. He had also missed the Packers first possession of the fourth quarter. He said he may have injured his right shoulder on a third down, 7-yard scramble in the third quarter. It seemed to have little effect on him at the time, though, as he returned on the Packers next possession to complete a beautifully thrown 48 yard touchdown pass to Jennings that narrowed the Buccaneers lead from 13 to six. Matt Flynn played in place of Rodgers at the beginning and end of the fourth quarter, but was unable to advance the offense.

“Offensively, we were poor today. We’ve got penalties, turnovers,” McCarthy said, searching for words to describe the team’s performance. “It’s very difficult to win a football game like that. You’re playing a good football team, a good defense in a tough environment. I felt that offensively…we didn’t do enough to win the game.”

The defense nearly won the game for Green Bay, intercepting Tampa Bay quarterback Brian Griese on three occasions, the last of which Charles Woodson took back for his second touchdown of the year. It was his third interception in three games, and the takeaway and score gave the Packers the lead early in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, the Buccaneers were playing on a short field all day, and it was too easy for them to put points on the board.

Whether it was following an interception or a punt, the Buccaneers started in Green Bay territory on five possessions. The results were touchdown, field goal, field goal, field goal and touchdown. On the Buccaneers’ three field goal drives, they gained just 36, 37 and 30 yards, but the field position gifted them the nine points that proved to be the difference in the game. On Tampa Bay’s seven other possessions, all of which started in the Buccaneer territory, the results were punt, punt, punt, punt, interception, interception return for a touchdown and punt. McCarthy was very satisfied with his defense’s effort. Unfortunately, it was not enough.

“I thought our defense played outstanding. Time and time again they gave us a number of opportunities to win this football game and we didn’t take advantage of it. It’s disappointing.”

Report card:

Offense: D – The offense was unable to sustain drives and was a big reason the Buccaneers maintained nearly a 2:1 ratio on time of possession. The Packers were able to gain just 28 yards on the ground, and once again were held under 20 rushing attempts for the game. The offense was a big reason the Packers lost the field position battle.

Defese: B+ - The Buccaneers point total does not indicate a strong defensive performance by the Packers, but even with half of the defensive backfield out because of injury Tampa Bay accumulated just 149 yards passing. The Packers did not contain the run well, surrendering 174 yards to Tampa Bay running backs, but the interceptions helped keep the Packers in the game until late in the fourth quarter.

Special Teams: B – The kick coverage units surrendered above-average returns on both kickoffs and punts, and the return teams were serviceable. Derrick Frost was often punting from deep inside Packer territory which resulted in few opportunities for the directional kicking he was brought in to do. Mason Crosby did not attempt a field goal and was three-for-three on extra point attempts.

Overall: B – Had the offense been able to take care of the ball, Packers fans would undoubtedly be singing a different tune about this Packers team that has suddenly lost two in a row. The good part is that the mistakes are very correctable, and the defense looked better than may have been expected.