The Packers elevated RB Kenyan Draike and WR Bo Melton from the practice squad.  They also activated Eric Stokes from the injured reserve list.  The inactive players due to injury were CB Jaire Alexander, S Darnell Savage, WR Christian Watson, and RB AJ Dillon.  The healthy scratches were WR Toure, OLB Brenton Cox, and OT Caleb Jones.  QB Sean Clifford did not play.

The Packers initially showed some running ability but ended up gaining 60 yards on 17 carries, a 3.5-yard average.  That is not going to cut it in the NFL.  The Buccaneers had 6 tackles for loss.  The line allowed 6 quarterback hits and 2 sacks on 39 passing attempts.  The line is something less than mediocre.  The only position the Packers should not be actively looking to upgrade for 2024 is right tackle, Zach Tom.  Fans have largely given the NFL's second-highest paid guard a pass, and perhaps rightly so, but Jenkins has not been the best or even the second-best offensive lineman on the team.  One can hope that is due to his MCL injury sustained earlier this season.  Jenkins does not whiff much or otherwise have glaring issues, but there aren't enough good plays. 

There is no need to throw the baby out with the bath water, though.  Walker still has time and has value as a backup swing tackle who can start a few games if necessary.  Perhaps he can develop into more.  Runyan is not the worst guard who plays a lot of snaps in the NFL.  Clearly, the Packers are force-feeding Rhyan to find out what they have in him.  I, myself, do not see any reason for the rotation of Walker and Nijman.  It is not a hill I want to fight for, but I don't think there is much difference between the two, though I would give the nod to Walker.  Since Nijman will be a free agent in 2024, is he willing to return to the Packers given his demotion?  Should the Packers cough up some money to retain him?  I suspect the answer is no to both questions.  Myers had a couple of penalties and otherwise was not good, but he can play if necessary in the NFL.  He has one more year to show consistency, as sometimes he can look very good.  

Given that an infusion of talent is necessary, the Packers need to decide if their current coaches can mold young offensive line prospects into good NFL pros.  If the draft is kind enough to line up well with the Packers' draft board, at least a couple of offensive linemen should be selected, with some early.  A solid veteran lineman would not be amiss, either.

This game featured the return of Aaron Jones to the lineup.  He touched the ball 8 times on their first possession, gaining 44 yards (5.5-yards per carry).  However, the Packers could not convert a third down and one at the Tampa Bay 3-yard line; indeed, Jones lost a yard on the run and an incomplete pass on fourth down led to a turnover on downs.  Jones added 2 receptions for 8 yards in the first half.  And that was that for Jones, for the most part.  Jones would carry the ball 4 times for 10 yards in the second half and add two more receptions for 8 yards.  Patrick Taylor had receptions of -1 and -3 in the second half to finish with 2 catches for minus 4 yards.  Kenyan Drake carried the ball once for zero yards in the first half and Patrick Taylor got his only carry (6 yards) in the second half.  The Packers gained 17yards on 6 carries in the second half.  Jones ran 13 routes and Taylor ran 17, per Pro Football Focus.

Tucker Kraft caught all four of his targets for 57 yards, with 49 yards coming on 3 first-half receptions.  He caught an odd-looking little screen for a touchdown.  Sims had no receptions on 1 target.  Deguara was not targeted though he ran 6 routes.  Kraft ran 39 routes and Sims 4, per PFF.  Kraft is not being asked to line up as a mismatch against a linebacker or safety as the Packers did with Musgrave.  Kraft's receptions come within the framework of the offense, though he shows pretty good yards-after-the-catch ability and good hands.  His blocking is steadily improving.  Deguara appears to be less a part of the offense as the year progresses.  

Doubs caught all 3 of his targets for 30 yards with a long of 12.  He ran 36 routes.  It is a little curious that Doubs rarely comes off the field as he looks like a #3 WR.  Wicks caught 6 of his 7 targets for 97 yards (16.2-yard average) with a long of 22.  He ran 31 routes for a whopping 3.13 yards per route.  Reed caught 6 of his 8 targets for 52 yards on 17 routes run.  That is only 8.67 yards per reception, but it is a whopping 3.06-yards/route run.  Reed also ran a nice route to catch his touchdown pass, slowing his momentum to get his feet in bounds.  It was a bit of a body catch, but Reed tends to be the big-play receiver.  Reed had no rushing attempts.  Heath caught all 3 of his targets for 29 yards on 16 routes run.  Melton caught one of his 2 targets for 7 yards on 13 routes run.      

Jordan Love completed 29 of 39 attempts (74.36%) for 284 yards (7.28-yards/attempt) with 2 touchdowns and no interceptions.  He finished with a 111.5 passer rating.  He took 2 sacks and was hit 6 times.  Love fumbled on a 19-yard sack with a little over 4 minutes left in the game.  Tampa Bay was able to run out the clock though it needed a 4th down conversion.  Love had a better performance this week than last week, both statistically and with regard to his footwork, though there were some lapses in the latter aspect.  The team has enough talented pass-catchers to produce enough offense with Love at quarterback.  It needs better blocking offensive linemen, particularly run-blocking linement, and it will have to make some decisions at running back.

The defensive line had a decent day, particularly Clark, Slaton and Wyatt.  The Buccaneers gained 99 yards on 27 attempts, a 3.67-yard average.  Their running backs gained 101 yards on 25 carries, a 4.0 average, with a long of 22 and no touchdowns.  Slaton had 5 tackles (3 solo) while Clark had 4 (3 solo) with 2 tackles for loss, 2 quarterback hits, 2 sacks and a pass defensed.  Wyatt added 3 solo tackles and a sack.  Wooden had a solo tackle and Brooks had an assist.  

Walker had 6 tackles (3 solo) while Campbell had 5, all solo, including 1 tackle for loss.  I think we can live with their results as to run defense.  The coverage issues probably merit a re-watch.  Inside linebackers are going to have trouble covering WRs like Chris Godwin, Mike Evans and David Moore.  Second and TB gets Campbell matched up on Campbell?  That's going to work out well... for Tampe Bay.  That said, tight end Cade Otten caught two 22-yard passes to finish with 44 receiving yards.  Otten ran 31 routes and caught both of his targets.  Tight ends Ko Kieft and Payne Durham combined to run 8 routes but had just one catch for 2 yards.  However, RB Rachad White on 2 targets caught a 26 yard touchdown pass and had a 24 yard reception.  Campbell could not quite keep up with White on a crosser and the Packers DB (I think it was Nixon) was a little late closing on the play, and both missed the tackle, allowing a ton of yards after the catch and the touchdown.  Did the ILBs attain proper depth or where the DBs just too deep?  There too often was a chasm between the depth of the ILBs and the DBs in zone.  I would just refer you to Aaron Nagler's dispassionate opinion here.  [The link is NOT SAFE FOR WORK.]

Green Bay needs far more from its best players.  Gary and Preston Smith had quiet games.  Enagbare had a strip sack.  Since he hit the ball as Mayfield was trying to throw, he did not get a quarterback hit.  Van Ness had a sack.

The opposing quarterback had a perfect passer rating.  If Baker Mayfield wasn't sacked, trouble was brewing.

Owens had 12 tackles (7 solo) while Ford had 8 (4 solo) and a pass defensed.  Valentine had 5 tackles (4 solo) and a pass defensed (and if that's news to you, you weren't watching Valentine).  Stokes had a tackle for loss and Nixon had one assisted tackle.  

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Carlson made his field goals and extra points.  Whelan punted twice for a 47-yard average gross, 40.5 net, with one inside the 20.

WR: 2.73

TE: 1.27

RB 1.00

DL: 2.37

ILB: 1.81

OLB: 2.02

DB: 4.81

Photo courtesy of Dan Powers, USA Today

Statistics coutesy of NFLgsis and Pro Football Focus