Green Bay Packers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Keys to Victory
Dec 8, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson (87) celebrates a touchdown catch with wide receiver Randall Cobb (18) during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field. Green Bay won 43-37. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
3. Breathe. It was just one game.
The greatest error that the Green Bay Packers could commit would be to abruptly change their strategy following the loss to Buffalo. Obviously, schematic alterations are needed, along with improved play-calling, but the Packers’ must not overreact to one week of poor football that comes after several weeks of dominance.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offer the Packers an opportunity to sort things out. If there is a package or protection that Mike McCarthy would like to experiment with on offense, now is the time to do so with live-game snaps. In doing so, the Packers can enter their highly important game with the Detroit Lions confident in their game plan.
Remember, too, that a great deal of the Packers’ woes against the Buffalo Bills were simple matters of execution. The Packers’ Wide Receivers and Tight Ends dropped ball after ball, and given the extent to which that represents an outlier in the Packers’ performance this season, I expect them to return to a more effective form on Sunday. Fundamental issues such as drops are crippling when they happen, but these are problems that can easily be addressed week-to-week.
We may not truly be able to gauge the Packers’ offensive projection for the playoffs until we see how they handle the Detroit Lions defensive front, but it starts in Tampa Bay. The Packers’ defense will look to keep their own ball rolling, too, as their strong performance went largely overlooked last week. Like the offense, the defense must continue to play the football that has gotten the Green Bay Packers to a 10-4 record, and not grossly overreact to one week that was very, very bad.