Jordan Love threw two touchdown passes and the Green Bay Packers survived a pair of late turnovers to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17–14 on Sunday, October 4, at Raymond James Stadium.
The Packers returned to .500 at 2–2, while Tampa Bay fell to 0–4. The Buccaneers remained without a win despite a competitive first NFL start from undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels.
Late defensive stop protects a three-point lead
Tampa Bay gave itself two chances to change the outcome in the fourth quarter. Zyon McCollum recovered a Kaleb Johnson fumble at the Buccaneers’ four-yard line, but the ensuing possession ended with a punt.
Jacob Parrish then intercepted Love with fewer than five minutes remaining, returning the ball from Tampa Bay’s seven-yard line to its 15. The next drive reached a fourth-and-11 before Evan Williams came free off the edge and forced Daniels to throw incomplete.
Those stops preserved the margin after Daniels found Kenny Gainwell for a 10-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. That score finished an 84-yard drive and cut Green Bay’s lead from 17–7 to 17–14.
Two short touchdown passes and a long field goal
Love opened the scoring with a two-yard pass to Matthew Golden on fourth down in the second quarter. Green Bay converted three fourth downs on that possession, a 16-play, 68-yard march that lasted 9:16.
Sean Tucker’s rushing touchdown brought Tampa Bay level at 7–7. Trey Smack’s 58-yard field goal shortly before halftime put Green Bay back in front, 10–7.
The Packers expanded the lead in the third quarter when Tucker Kraft caught a two-yard touchdown pass. The play was initially ruled incomplete, but Matt LaFleur’s challenge overturned that decision. A 25-yard completion to Mark Redman and Johnson’s 31-yard run helped set up the score.
Passing numbers and the next games
Love finished 22 of 30 for 197 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Christian Watson led Green Bay with 47 receiving yards, while Kraft caught six passes for 42 yards. The Packers finished with a narrow 283–275 advantage in total net yards.
Daniels completed 19 of 27 passes for 148 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, adding 55 rushing yards on eight attempts. Bucky Irving led Tampa Bay’s ground game with 61 yards on 16 carries.
Green Bay hosts Chicago on October 11. Tampa Bay faces a shorter turnaround, traveling to Dallas for a Thursday night game on October 8.
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