The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to face the Green Bay Packers in a must-win Week 4 matchup.
To get an inside look at the Bucs’ opponent and view the game from a non-Bucs perspective, I phoned a friend and spoke with Freddie Boston, lead editor at Lombardi Ave, FanSided’s Packers site.
We discussed which matchups will determine the outcome, areas where each team will have an advantage, and more.
Green Bay Packers expert previews Tampa Bay Buccaneers matchup, Jalon Daniels and more
Q: With Baker Mayfield injured, the Buccaneers will be starting undrafted rookie QB Jalon Daniels for his first career start. He has a rocket arm and blazing speed, but he also objectively has a ton of work to do in his development. What is the confidence level coming out of Green Bay as the Packers get to avoid facing Mayfield and take on an inexperienced rookie instead?
A: Confidence certainly isn't high among the fanbase. It probably should be, because the Buccaneers having to start an undrafted rookie gives the Packers an undeniable advantage. But Green Bay has played so poorly, especially in last week's humiliating loss to the Atlanta Falcons, that it's almost impossible to have any real confidence that this team can beat anybody.
Q: What is going on with the Packers offensive line? They've signed three veterans in Kevin Zeitler, Mekhi Becton, and Laken Tomlinson and seem to be preparing a complete overhaul group. Jordan Love has been sacked eight times in three games. The Buccaneers boast a potentially dominant defensive line with Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey, Yaya Diaby and David Walker. Do you expect the Packers to hold up in pass protection or could the Bucs pass rush take over this game?
A: Your guess is as good as mine. It has been quite the week at 1265 Lombardi Ave – it's truly unheard of for the Packers to add three veterans at the same position between games.
That tells you all you need to know about the offensive line.
Per ESPN, the Packers' pass-block win rate is a woeful 16 percent, which ranks 32nd in the NFL. Not just that, but they're not even close to the rest of the league – the 31st-ranked Arizona Cardinals are at 32 percent.
General manager Brian Gutekunst is largely to blame for not addressing this problem in the offseason, but to his credit, he's seen enough and is doing everything possible to fix it.
Are any of the new additions ready to start a game so soon? Probably not, but the Packers don't have much choice. Beyond the disastrous play up front, they have already ruled out left guard Aaron Banks and right guard Jacob Monk for Week 4, while center/guard Jager Burton is questionable.
Q: The Packers aren't the only team with offensive line struggles. The Buccaneers have surrendered the most sacks in the NFL, and while the tackles are playing well, the interior is a major concern. Pass protection is even more important this week with a rookie quarterback trying to navigate his first start. Are there any Packers interior defensive linemen Bucs fans should keep an eye on as potential game-wreckers?
A: Devonte Wyatt would typically be the interior lineman to watch, but he's made a surprisingly slow start to the season. Per PFF, Wyatt has only generated two pressures and has yet to lay a glove on the quarterback. He's returning from an ankle injury that ended his 2025 season, which could be partly to blame, but the Packers need more from Wyatt.
New signing Javon Hargrave has battled injuries early in the year and has also made an underwhelming start.
The edge rushers have enjoyed some early-season success, primarily Lukas Van Ness, but nose tackle Jonathan Ford is the only interior lineman with a sack so far.
Q: Christian Watson has been one of the NFL's most productive receivers this offseason. How has Green Bay deployed him so effectively, and do you think his success will continue against a Bucs defense that knows how to gameplan for dominant receivers, allowing only 12 yards to Ja'Marr Chase back in Week 1?
A: I'm a big believer in Christian Watson. Injuries held him back early in his NFL career, but since returning from a torn ACL in Week 8 last season, Watson has caught 52 passes for 895 yards and 10 touchdowns across 13 games.
Watson is a difference-maker even when the ball isn't going his way. He offers a scary combination of size, speed, and athleticism that forces defensive coordinators to adjust. He's tough to stop with the ball in open space, as he showed with an 81-yard touchdown in Week 1. Watson outran any Vikings defender in sight.
You're right to point out the matchup, though, and that's a potential problem for the Packers. Watson's a tough cover, but he's not on the level of the NFL's truly elite wide receivers, and it won't even matter if the offensive line can't hold up. It'll be a challenging afternoon for the Packers' passing game.
Q: Outside of the previously mentioned offensive line, do the Packers have a clear weakness that the Buccaneers can exploit during this matchup?
A: The run defense held up in the opening two games, but Atlanta destroyed that. Jonathan Gannon's unit allowed an average of 2.9 yards per carry in games against the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets, but the Falcons piled up 242 yards on the ground at 5.9 per attempt. It wasn't just Bijan Robinson, either, as Brian Robinson also averaged 5.0 yards per carry.
Maybe it was just a bad game, but the Buccaneers should test this run defense early and often. That'll be especially important to ease the pressure on Jalon Daniels.
Q: Vice versa, is there a weakness the Buccaneers have that you expect the Packers to take advantage of?
A: It has to be the quarterback situation. Daniels undoubtedly showed some potential in the preseason (believe me, Packers fans have been sharing clips online and getting anxious), but it's a different ballgame in the regular season. It's a big ask for an undrafted rookie in their first NFL start.
On the other side of the field, if the offensive line can give Jordan Love just enough protection, the Packers will have a significant advantage at quarterback.
Q: Is there a roster strength that Green Bay has that is currently being underrated by rival fanbases or the media that could give the Buccaneers trouble?
A: I don't know if it's being underrated because nobody really talks about special teams, but it's been a surprise strength for the Packers this season. It's been a while since we've seen good special teams in Green Bay, but there are encouraging signs.
New signing Skyy Moore has been a breath of fresh air – he's averaging 18.2 yards on punt returns and 27.8 yards on kick returns. He also has a 63-yard punt return to his name.
Punter Daniel Whelan is averaging a solid 49.3 yards per punt and, crucially, has pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line a league-best nine times. Opponents are also averaging just 6.2 yards on punt returns versus Green Bay, the second-lowest in the league. Rookie Trey Smack has had one kick blocked but booted the rest through the uprights.
Overall, special teams has become a strength for the Packers.
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