Buccaneers at Packers
THE STORY: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a pretty good plan on how to defend Aaron Rodgers in years past. But the way Rodgers is playing, it seems no one can slow him – or the unbeaten Green Bay Packers. Especially not the slumping Buccaneers. The league’s highest-rated passer will try to lead the Packers to a 16th straight win on Sunday against the woeful Buccaneers, who are looking to avoid a fourth straight loss. A former division rival of the Packers, Tampa Bay has won three straight and seven of the last 10 meetings.
TV: FOX, 1 p.m. ET. LINE: Packers -14, O/U 49
ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS (4-5): The wheels have fallen off for the Buccaneers. They've been outscored 88-43 during a three-game losing streak. Tampa Bay yielded 420 yards in a 37-9 loss to Houston and is allowing a whopping 6.39 yards per play. Aside from the defensive woes, third-year QB Josh Freeman has regressed. He threw three interceptions last week. Freeman, who’s dealing with a sprained thumb, now has nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions after throwing 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2010. Newly acquired DT Albert Haynesworth, who was cut from the Patriots last week, had four tackles and a blocked extra point vs. Houston. He was claimed off waivers after rookie DT Gerald McCoy (torn biceps) was placed on IR.
ABOUT THE PACKERS (9-0): Rodgers (2,869 yards, 28 TDs, 3 INTs) continued his record-setting pace with four more touchdowns in a 45-7 win over Minnesota on Monday night. He is the first quarterback in league history to compile nine straight games with a quarterback rating of at least 110. Two of Rodgers’ touchdown passes went to Jordy Nelson, who has four scores in as many games and is tied for the team lead with seven. Rodgers has been uncharacteristically bad against Tampa Bay, however. He’s 0-2 with a 54.6 quarterback rating versus the Buccaneers – his lowest against any opponent. Green Bay entered Monday’s contest 30th in total defense, but held Adrian Peterson to 51 yards and sacked rookie Christian Ponder (191 yards) three times. LB Clay Matthews broke out of his slump with two sacks. He had managed a mere three sacks after compiling 24 in his first two seasons.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. “We're mad about the way we've been performing.” – Packers CB Charles Woodson, on Green Bay's defensive struggles.
2. Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris plans to practice in pads two days this week to in an effort to correct some tackling issues (per the new CBA guidelines, teams are only allowed to do that once a season).
3. Rodgers, who’s completing an NFL-best 72.9 percent of his passes, is just 43 of 62 for 431 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions vs. Tampa Bay.