The Packers travelled to Tampa, Florida with a 4-0 record and sky-high confidence after putting at least 30 points on each of their opponents this season. However, they crashed down to Earth with a bang after the sobering 38-10 defeat to the Tom Brady led Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Green Bay Packers were only one of four unbeaten teams left in the NFL before the bye week heading into week 7 of the season. Aaron Rodgers spent the first four games of the season making sure his doubters got enough egg on their faces as he silenced rumors about his game and the Packers trading for quarterback Jordan Love.
Red hot with over 70% of his passes completed in the season and averaging over 300 passing yards, Rodgers was leading his Packers to a dream start and the bye week was supposed to be a little fuel-up break before facing the Bucs and their shiny new item, Tom Brady.
The Game
The Packers were wearing their world-famous dark green and gold jersey, which can be purchased cheaply at dhgate. With fans cleared to come to games, it was not just a special moment for the players but also for enthusiastic Green Bay fans who no doubt had hit the eCommerce store in droves, to update their jerseys.
They got off to the best possible start; going 10-0 up thanks to an Aaron Jones touchdown and Mason Crosby field goal and the Packers defense then got another stop and 2-time MVP Aaron Rodgers had the ball looking to add to the lead they built in the first quarter. This was when disaster struck, and the game turned on its head from the Packers perspective. Rodgers threw not only his first pick of the season but also the packers first offensive turnover of the season deep in Packers territory and the Bucs defense returned it for a pick 6.
It was undoubtedly the turning point of the game, but what came next set the tone for the rest of the match-up. Rodgers again had the ball deep in his territory, this time 10-7 up, and very uncharacteristically threw another interception on the second consecutive drive. The Bucs were brought down inside the 5 this time but would go over to take a 14-10 lead just a couple of plays later.
The Packers never managed to recover, with Brady and the Bucs going on to score 38 unanswered points in the second and third quarters before both teams put in backups in the 4th and allowed the game to fizzle out.
For Rodgers, who has not always had the best of times in the Raymond James Stadium, it seemed only a matter of time before the walls closed in on him, and after throwing only the third ever pick-six in his career (his second in Tampa Bay), they did. First, a second interception followed, and then the Bucs’ defense kicked in, first pressuring Rodgers 12 times, and then blitzing him 17 times, to force a 16-of-35, two sacks, and two interceptions outing out of a dismal Rodgers.
The perennial quarterback had a game to forget by every standard. The listless Packers would not get on the scoreboard for the rest of the game as the Bucs scored 38 unanswered points, led by an efficient Tom Brady and his wingman Rob Gronkowski.
The first loss of the season for the Packers is one that will throw their whole season so far in disarray because the Buccaneers are their stiffest opposition yet. A statement game became one that will revive the spirit f doubters once again for both the Packers and Rodgers. After the game, the quarterback put the loss into perspective, calling it a much-needed “kick in the ass” and his performance “an anomaly”. While the pundits and millers would want to grind out this loss and performance into fodder for theories farfetched and realistic, the Packers will be looking to put it past them when they take on the Houston Texans in week 7.
What Next for the Packers?
It is important to note that the Packers are still 4-1 and many people’s favorites to win the NFC North and go deep into the playoffs. Losing to a team led by Tom Brady does not indicate the end of the team. However, this result will inevitably raise some eyebrows, especially with divisional rivals Chicago Bears beating the Carolina Panthers to go 5-1.
Head coach Matt LaFleur will be demanding big improvements on offense next time out against the struggling Texans, but it is on the defensive side of the ball that he will need a big uptick in performance. The Packers have now conceded 30 points in 3 of the 5 games they have played this season and for all of the Texans struggles DeShaun Watson remains a huge threat whenever he has the ball in his hands.
It was a very disappointing afternoon for Aaron Rodgers and co with the veteran quarterback calling the result a ‘big kick in the a–’ in response to his loss. Rodgers told Green Bay Press Gazette, “I feel like we needed a little bit of a wake-up call this season because things had been so good… I think we needed a kick in the a– a little bit,” He said. if you want to get up to date sports news, go to lines.com.
Further explaining the reason for the loss he added, “I don’t feel like we ever got into a rhythm. Even with 10 points to start the game, we had off-schedule plays to kind of keep drives alive.”
Head coach Matt LaFleur also said, “Our practice this week was not up to our standard the guys have developed the first year and a half. That’s what happened today. You practice like crap, you go out and play like crap.”
Green Bay’s fans and players will be hoping they can put this setback behind them quickly and kick on to secure playoffs for the second consecutive season.
Even The Undertaker has that annoying “1” dent on his otherwise impeccable Wrestle mania career, so Rodgers and his Green Bay Packers team can be excused for this one, but only until they put up a much more convincing display against the Texans.
