Baker Mayfield had to have felt frightened when he woke up. The former first-round pick led Tampa to a 34-20 victory over the Packers on Sunday, marking his finest performance as a Buccaneer. Mayfield made history at Lambeau Field by becoming the first visiting quarterback to record a perfect passer rating in the process.
With a flawless passer rating of 158.3, Mayfield completed 22 of 28 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns, helping the Buccaneers win three straight games. Chris Godwin had a fantastic day too, gaining 155 yards on 10 receptions, much like Mayfield. Rachaad White added 89 yards on 21 carries to support Mayfield and the passing attack. Four Buccaneers players, including White, caught touchdown passes.
By the end of the third quarter, Jordan Love and the Packers' offence were only behind by three points despite their best efforts to stay up. However, the Packers' fate was sealed by a promising drive that faltered in the red zone and two turnovers on drives in the fourth quarter.
Although Love completed the game with 284 yards and two touchdowns on 29 of 39 passes, the running game managed only 60 yards on 17 carries.
Why Tampa Bay won:
For the whole of the game, Tampa Bay set the pace. With 28 passes and 27 runs, the Buccaneers' offensive balance was almost flawless. Todd Bowles' defence had several impressive stops in the red zone, including a turnover on downs during the Packers' opening drive.
Ultimately, though, this game was won or lost by the Buccaneers' great players—Godwin in particular, who took advantage of every opportunity he had. Mike Evans had a quiet first half before finally giving Tampa Bay the lead for good with a 19-yard touchdown catch early in the second quarter, thanks in part to Godwin's playmaking.
Why the Packers' lost:
Although they sacked him five times, including a strip-sack that resulted in a forced turnover by the Packers, Green Bay's defence was unable to stop Mayfield and did not fare much better against White, who has gained at least 84 yards in the last four games for Tampa.
After some early success from Aaron Jones, the Packers' running game was non-existent offensively. Love performed admirably, but he and his teammates were just 2 of 5 in the red zone, which contributed significantly to the defeat. Love's late blunder put a stop to any chances of a Green Bay rally.
What next:
The Jaguars, who are closely vying with the Colts for the AFC South division crown, will visit Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers' final two regular-season games are at home versus the Saints and on the road versus the Panthers.
Green Bay will take on the Panthers, who have the worst record in the NFL, in the first of two straight road games. After that, the Packers travel to Minnesota to play the Vikings, and finally, they finish the regular season at home against the Bears.