The Pewter Plank
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Buccaneers at Packers: Week 13 game-changers

By Bailey Adams

TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 12: Head coach Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on from the sidelines during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the New York Jets on November 12, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 12: Head coach Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on from the sidelines during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the New York Jets on November 12, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – NOVEMBER 26: Brett Hundley of the Green Bay Packers drops back to pass in the first half during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on November 26, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – NOVEMBER 26: Brett Hundley of the Green Bay Packers drops back to pass in the first half during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on November 26, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /

Brett Hundley

Following Brett Favre was never going to be easy, but Aaron Rodgers made it look like a normal, everyday task. Rodgers is a future hall-of-famer already, which obviously makes him a fan favorite and face of the franchise in Green Bay. So, when he went down on Oct. 15, his replacement was already had huge shoes to fill. That fell on Brett Hundley, a third-year signal-caller out of UCLA. To this point, he hasn’t done nearly enough to keep the Packers in the playoff race. But in all honesty, is he really in a good position to?

Part of the greatness that is Rodgers is the fact that he can do more with less. His receiving corps isn’t anything to scoff at, of course, but Green Bay has lacked a rushing attack for years. The Packers are 22nd in rushing offense this season, as their leading rusher has just 370 yards. The offensive line is pretty banged up as well and the defense isn’t doing its part. So can you really blame the lack of recent success on Hundley? Sure, he isn’t covering up those problems like Rodgers does. But that was never a realistic expectation, was it?

In six games, Hundley has 1,185 passing yards and five touchdowns to seven interceptions. He has been sacked 21 times. Despite that, he is coming off a career game on Sunday night against the Steelers. He completed seventeen of his 26 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns to no interceptions. If there’s a defense that he can match that performance against, it’s Tampa Bay’s. If he puts up similar numbers on Sunday, the Packers should cruise. But if he turns the ball over and returns to his previous form, it could be a chance for the Bucs to get back to their winning ways.

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