Week 3 Release
Green Bay Packers (1-1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0)
PACKERS HEAD SOUTH TO TAMPA
The Green Bay Packers go back on the road to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday.
It is a matchup of the top two teams in the NFC since 2020. Green Bay has a 27-8 regular-season record (.771) over that span with Tampa Bay checking in at No. 2 with a 26-9 mark (.743).
Green Bay and Tampa Bay first played in 1977 and the Packers hold a 32-22-1 (.591) edge in the regular-season series while the postseason series sits even at 1-1. u The Packers and Buccaneers are facing off for the third time since 2020 (two regular season, one postseason).
It is Green Bay’s second visit to Tampa in three seasons (Week 6, 2020). u The Packers have won three of the last four regular-season matchups. u Only two of the last seven contests between the two teams have been decided by a touchdown or less.
The winning team has scored 20-plus points in each of the last seven games (including postseason) and 30-plus points in five of those contests. u On the road, the Packers are 13-15-1 against the Buccaneers with the teams splitting the last two con- tests. Tampa Bay won in 2020 and Green Bay won in 2014.
This will be just the fifth time Green Bay has played at Tampa Bay in September (1984, 1992, 1996, 2008) with the Packers’ only victory coming in 1996.
12 AND 12
Among qualified passers (1,500 pass att.), Aaron Rodgers ranks No. 3 in passer rating (104.4) while Tom Brady ranks No. 8 (97.5). This will mark the fifth time that Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady have faced off as starting quarterbacks.
It will be just the third time in NFL annals to pair starting QBs with seven combined Associated Press MVPs (Rodgers: 2011, 2014, 2020, 2021; Brady: 2007, 2010, 2017). Rodgers played in the last such game, against five-time MVP Peyton Manning in 2015. Brady played in the first contest, against Manning in 2014.
The first meeting took place in 2014 in Green Bay, with Rodgers and the Packers defeating the Brady-led Patriots, 26-21. Rodgers threw for 368 yards, two TDs, zero interceptions and a passer rating of 112.6 while Brady finished with a rating of 102.5 after totaling 245 yards with two TDs and zero INTs.
Brady and New England got the best of Rodgers and the Packers in Foxborough in 2018, winning 31-17. Brady threw for a passer rating of 99.0 and 294 yards with a TD and zero INTs while Rodgers had a rating of 89.2 after posting 259 yards with two TDs and zero INTs.
They faced off in the regular season and postseason in 2020, with Brady and the Buccaneers winning both contests. In the first, Tampa picked off Rodgers twice and held him to 160 passing yards while Brady finished with 166 passing yards, two TDs and a 104.9 rating in a 38-10 win. In the NFC Championship, Rodgers threw three TDs and just one INT for a passer rating of 101.6 while Brady threw three TDs and three INTs for a
passer rating of 73.8, but the Bucs came out on top, 31-26.
NOTES THROUGH WEEK 2
Week 2 was Green Bay’s 14th straight regular-season win at home, tied for the third-longest home winning streak in team history (25 from 1995-98; 20 from 1929-32; 14 from 1923-26).
Green Bay has won seven straight against the Bears, its longest winning streak vs. Chicago since a seven-gamer in 2000-03 and tied for the second longest behind only a 10-game winning streak vs. the Bears from 1994-98.
The Week 2 victory was Green Bay’s 13th straight win in prime time, the longest regular-season streak in the NFL since 2000.
The Packers have won 10 consecutive home openers (2013-21).
Green Bay turned the ball over once in Week 2, giving them either zero turnovers or one turnover in 13 straight regular-season games at Lambeau Field, the longest current home streak in the NFL.
Green Bay allowed one third-down conversion (1 for 7) in Week 2, its fewest given up since Dec. 13, 2015, vs. Dallas (one).
The Packers allowed seven passing completions in Week 2, their fewest given up since Dec. 4, 2005, at Chicago (six). It is the fewest completions allowed in a game this season in the NFL.
The 41 offensive plays by the Bears in Week 2 were the fewest in a game against Green Bay since Detroit had 40 on Oct. 17, 2004.
QB Aaron Rodgers posted the 450th TD pass of his career in Week 2, becoming just the fifth quarterback in league history to throw 450-plus TD passes (451). He trails Brett Favre (508) for No. 4 on the list.
With a 131.1 passer rating in Week 2, Rodgers has posted a 125-plus rating and multiple TD passes in each of his last five games vs. Chicago, the first NFL quarterback with five straight against a single opponent.
In his last five games against the Bears, Rodgers has completed 105 of 138 passes (76.1 pct.) for 1,221 yards, 16 TDs and no INTs for a 141.0 passer rating.
Rodgers has recorded seven straight games (2019-21) without an INT vs. the Bears, the longest streak against Chicago in NFL history.
TE Marcedes Lewis played in his 236th career regular-season game in Week 2, moving him into a tie with Antonio Gates for the No. 3 spot in NFL history among tight ends behind only Jason Witten (271) and Tony Gonzalez (270).
WR Sammy Watkins registered a team-high 93 yards on three receptions (31.0 avg.), including a 55-yard grab in the fourth quarter that was his longest catch since a 68-yard TD at Jacksonville on Sept. 8, 2019. Watkins ranks No. 8 in the NFL this season (min. four rec.) in yards per reception (18.5).
LB Preston Smith posted a team-high two sacks, his eighth career game with two-plus sacks and his fifth as a Packer.
In Week 2, K Mason Crosby became just the fifth kicker in league history to connect on 700-plus extra points.
P Pat O’Donnell posted the second-longest punt of his career (72 yards) in Week 2.
Among players with 15-plus attempts, RB Aaron Jones is the first player in team history to average 9-plus yards per carry in the first two games of the season. Jones ranks No. 3 in the NFL in yards per carry (9.1) this season.
Jones’ posted a team-high 132 rushing yards on 15 carries (8.8 avg.), the third game in his career with 130-plus rushing yards on 15 or fewer carries, the most by a Packer (since 1950).
In Week 2, Jones registered the sixth rushing TD of his career vs. Chicago, his most against a single opponent.
The Packers rank No. 6 in the NFL in rushing yards per game this season (157.0) and No. 3 in yards per carry (5.61).
Green Bay recorded the third-most rushing yards by a Packer team through the first two games since 2000 and the third-highest rushing average by a Green Bay team since 1970:
THE FIRST MONTH
Green Bay has been one of the most successful teams in the league early in the season.
From 2008-21, the Packers finished the month of September with a record at or above .500 in 12 of 13 seasons, including each of the last eight (2015-21)
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT:
Packers at Buccaneers:
Regular season, all-time: 32-22-1
All-time, postseason: 1-1 All-time, at Raymond James Stadium (regular sea- son): 2-8 Streaks: Green Bay has won three of the last five (including playoffs).
Last meeting, regular season:
Oct. 8, 2020, Raymond James Stadium, Buccaneers won, 38-10
COACHES CAPSULES
Matt LaFleur: 42-14-0, .784; (2-3 postseason); 4th NFL season
Todd Bowles: 28-41, .406; (0-0 postseason); 6th NFL season
Head to Head: LaFleur 0-0 vs. Bowles
vs. Opponent: LaFleur 0-2 vs. Buccaneers; Bowles 0-1
vs. Packers
MATT LaFLEUR…In his fourth season as the Packers’ 15th head coach. In his 14th season in the NFL, having previously served as an offensive coordinator for two seasons (L.A. Rams, 2017; Tennessee, 2018), a quarterbacks coach for six seasons (Washington, 2010-13; Atlanta, 2015-16), and an offensive assistant for two seasons (Houston, 2008-09). In his first three seasons leading the Packers, he has authored one of the greatest starts to a head-coaching career in NFL history. With a 13-4 record in 2021, he led the Packers to a third straight NFC North crown
while also earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the second consecutive season. Became the first coach in NFL history to post 13-plus wins in three straight seasons and his 39 wins from 2019-21 passed George Seifert (38) for the most wins by an NFL head coach in his first three seasons in the league (Elias Sports Bureau). His 39 wins are also tied for the second most by a coach over any three-season span in league history, trailing only Mike Ditka’s 40 wins with the Chicago Bears from 1985-87 (Elias). Has guided the Packers to a 22-2 record (.917) in the regular season at Lambeau Field, the top home mark in the NFL from 2019-21 and the best home winning percentage by a Packers head coach in his first three seasons. In his first season leading the Packers in 2019, became the first coach in club history to lead the team to the playoffs in his debut season. Also led the largest one-year win improvement in team history (plus-seven wins).
TODD BOWLES…In his first season as the Buccaneers’ 13th head coach. Promoted to head coach following three seasons as Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator. From 2019-2021, Tampa Bay ranked third in the league in takeaways (82) and third in sacks (142), joining the Pittsburgh Steelers as the only teams to place in the top five of both categories. In addition to the sacks and takeaways under his guidance as defensive coordinator, the Buccaneers ranked first in rushing yards allowed per game (82.5), first in rushing yards per attempt (3.72), first in QB hits (352), first in defensive fumble recoveries (37), first in passes defensed (241), second in strip sacks (26), third in tackles for a loss (262) and fourth in forced fumbles (52). In 2021, led a defense that finished first in the NFL in QB hits (123), third in rush defense (92.5 ypg), fifth in fewest points per game allowed (20.8), tied for fifth in takeaways (29) and was seventh in sacks (47.0). u In Tampa Bay’s championship season in 2020, directed a defense that led the NFL in QB hits (142), tackles for a loss (107) and takeaways (34), while tying for the league lead (including playoffs) in sacks (58.0). Joined the Buccaneers after spending four seasons as head coach of the N.Y. Jets (2015-18). Was also the Miami Dolphins’ interim head coach for the final three games of the 2011 season.
THE PACKERS-BUCCANEERS SERIES
Sunday will be the 58th overall meeting between these former NFC Central rivals (including postseason). They launched the series in 1977 when the expansion Buccaneers moved to the Packers’ division after an inaugural 1976 campaign in the AFC West. From the second meeting in 1992 through the first meeting in 1998, the Packers won 12 of 13 contests with the Bucs’ lone win in that stretch coming in over- time (Dec. 10, 1995). The largest margin of victory in the series came on Oct. 2, 1983, when Green Bay defeated Tampa Bay, 55-14.
LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON
Oct. 8, 2020, Raymond James Stadium, Buccaneers won, 38-10
Buccaneers QB Tom Brady completed 17 of 27 passes for 166 yards and two TDs. RB Ronald Jones rushed for 113 yards and two TDs on 23 carries (4.9 avg.) u Buccaneers LB Devin White led the team with 10 tack- les (nine solo), a sack, three tackles for a loss and two QB hits. The Packers got out to a 10-0 lead behind a 39-yard Mason Crosby field goal and a 1-yard TD run from RB Aaron Jones to cap an 11-play, 80-yard drive.
