The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 0-3, starting an undrafted rookie at quarterback and still only one game out of first in the NFC South. The Green Bay Packers arrive Sunday at 1-2 with problems of their own, starting with Jordan Love’s accuracy and a run game missing Josh Jacobs.
Jalon Daniels makes his first NFL start with Baker Mayfield out because of a dislocated right thumb, and Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon called Daniels an unknown this week. Kickoff is 1 p.m. ET on Fox at Raymond James Stadium.
Jordan Love is completing 52.4% of his passes
Jeff Hanisch - Imagn Images
Love ranks fourth in the NFL with 844 passing yards and has six touchdown passes, but his completion rate is second-to-last in the league. He threw 53 passes in a 35-14 home loss to Atlanta in Week 3. Green Bay ranks 25th in offensive EPA per play, according to Sumer Sports.
He is also without Jayden Reed, who went on injured reserve and will have season-ending neck surgery. Christian Watson leads the team with 17 catches for 284 yards and four touchdowns.
The Packers have signed four offensive linemen in two weeks
Green Bay added former Pro Bowl guard Kevin Zeitler on Wednesday, the fourth veteran lineman it has signed in less than two weeks. Mekhi Becton, Laken Tomlinson and Cordell Volson came first.
Guard Aaron Banks (knee, toe) and Jacob Monk (quad) are out Sunday, and Jager Burton (groin) is questionable. That is a lot of new faces in front of Love against a Tampa Bay defense that ranks sixth in EPA per play, per Sumer Sports.
Green Bay’s run game has disappeared without Josh Jacobs
Jacobs has missed all three games while on the Commissioner Exempt List, and the Packers have no return date for him. MarShawn Lloyd is averaging 3.0 yards per carry and has 68 rushing yards in three games.
Against Atlanta, the Packers ran nine times for 17 yards. It was their fewest rushing attempts since 1994.
The Packers’ run defense is 28th and Micah Parsons isn’t back
Green Bay is allowing 138.7 rushing yards per game, 28th in the NFL, and Bijan Robinson ran for 194 yards and two touchdowns against it last week. Defensive tackles Warren Brinson and Anthony Campbell are out Sunday.
Parsons is still on the physically unable to perform list as he recovers from a torn ACL and can’t return before Week 5. “If you give them your edge, they’re going to take your edge,” Gannon said of Tampa Bay’s run game. Bucky Irving has 180 rushing yards and a touchdown for the Buccaneers.
Lukas Van Ness is Green Bay’s best pass rusher right now
Van Ness leads the Packers with 10 pressures and three sacks, and his 80.5 pass-rush grade ranks eighth among edge defenders, according to PFF. He is one of Green Bay’s three make-or-break players this week, with Tristan Wirfs across from him.
That matters more than usual with Daniels under center. He went 0 of 3 with an interception in relief against Minnesota, and Gannon said the rookie is “definitely mobile.”
