The Florida quarterback makes a perfect evaluation and brings back a valuable victory.
Green Bay Packers (6-8) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7): 20-34
If the two teams were neck and neck in the first half, the Buccaneers were able to make the difference in the second half, in particular thanks to an offensive squad which raised its level of play with great efficiency, and a defense which gradually suffocated his opponent. On the Florida side the men of the match are an ultra reliable Chris Godwin, but above all a Baker Mayfield who had a great evening. Crowned with a perfect statistical evaluation, the Tampa Bay pitcher spent the game dissecting the Packers' coverage without making any mistakes. An outing which confirms first place in the southern division for the Buccaneers and preserves their chances of participating in the playoffs.
For the Packers the results are more mixed. They only stayed behind Tampa Bay in the first half thanks to a well-placed fumble. The attack was sluggish for a good part of the match, despite Jordan Love who has nothing to be ashamed of with his performance and Dontayvion Wicks who is close to 100 yards. Too little, too short. But the blame lies more with the defense which never knew how to contain the aerial play of its opponents. The cover was regularly torn and was never able to find a solution to the infernal Godwin-Evans duo. The game-ending fumble is just the final nail in the coffin, the game was over long before. Bad calculation for Green Bay which will have to struggle to maintain its chances of qualifying in January.
A rhythmic first round
At the start of the match, the two teams seek to establish a balanced offensive game. Rachaad White (RB, 139 yards) and Aaron Jones (RB, 69 yards) are responsible for pounding on the ground, while Baker Mayfield (QB, 22/28, 381 yards, 4 TD) and Jordan Love (QB, 29/39 , 284 yards, 2 TD) develop an intermediate aerial game. But it is the defenses that mark the start of the game. When Tampa Bay opened the scoring with a kick, Green Bay tried to force the fate on fourth attempt and failed to respond immediately. But as Mayfield immediately suffered a strip sack a few yards from his goal, Love recovered the leather and found Tucker Kraft (TE, 57 yards, 1 TD) full center for a short distance touchdown.
While Mayfield has mainly tried to take advantage of the explosiveness of Chris Godwin (WR, 155 yards) until then, he finds the solution by touching Mike Evans (WR, 57 yards, 1 TD) in the interval of the coverage which ends his race in the paint. The Floridians therefore got back in front for a few minutes. Not long, just long enough for Love to alert Kraft to get into equalizing distance. Successful kick, both teams score each other in the pants. While the defenses tightened, the two bays exchanged clearances, before Tampa scored a 46-yard field goal a few seconds before the whistle to have the satisfaction of returning to the locker room with the advantage.
The Buccaneers are not slowing down
Back on the field, Tampa Bay marks its lead. A quick defensive stop, and Mayfield plants the banderilla by finding White in the interzone who zigzags to the line. The break is over. Green Bay must then react to maintain its chances. The attack finally finds rhythm and for the first time mounts a complete series which arrives in the red zone. Under pressure, on a breakaway, Love aims for the back of the goal, and finds Jayden Reed (WR, 52 yards, 1 TD) who lets his toes drag, touchdown. The Packers return to the game, despite everything their defense continues to suffer in containing the aerial assaults of the Floridians. Cade Otton (TE, 44 yards) then Godwin take big gains, and Ko Kieft (TE) dives for the finish. The buccaneers set sail again.
And even if the Packers kick again to keep their chances, the Buccs receivers are unstoppable. Godwin continues to shine, and David Moore (WR, 68 yards, 1 TD) transforms a quick pass into a 52-yard touchdown. With two scores in advance a few seconds before the deadline, the pirates are comfortable, and the cheeseheads no longer have a choice. Love turns to his trusted man of the evening, Dontayvion Wicks (WR, 97 yards), to regain momentum, but loses the leather on a sack, which gives the match point to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers pile up a few first downs and just have to kneel on the ground to run out the clock. A great demonstration from the Floridians on both sides of the leather, and particularly from Baker Mayfield who produced a high-level performance.
SHEESH! A 52 yd TD for David Moore! 😮
📺: #TBvsGB on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/kw7mays4qU pic.twitter.com/HHjcnKui3c— NFL (@NFL) December 17, 2023
