GREEN BAY, Wis.: Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is visiting Lambeau Field in December for a 3rd straight yr, every time with a distinct crew.
This season’s model of Mayfield might give the Green Bay Packers probably the most issues.
Mayfield threw 4 interceptions in Cleveland’s 24-22 loss to Green Bay on Christmas Day 2021 that marked his second-to-final look with the Browns, who took him with the No. 1 general decide within the 2018 draft. He went 12 of 21 for 111 yards with a landing and an interception on Dec. 19 of final yr because the Los Angeles Rams misplaced 24-12.
He has performed at Lambeau sufficient to know what to anticipate when his Bucs (6-7) go to the Packers (6-7) on Sunday.
“I’ve only played there in December, so yeah, it’s kind of hit or miss with the weather and what you’re going to get,” Mayfield mentioned. “Guys just have to be prepared for the grass. That’s something I learned pretty quickly – it’s slick. This late in the year, obviously it’s not in the best condition. It’s a little bit longer, so you’ve got to be ready for that.”
Mayfield threw a go-forward landing move within the ultimate minute of a 29-25 victory at Atlanta that enabled the Bucs to seize a share of the NFC South lead. The Packers are clinging to the NFC’s third and ultimate wild-card spot after shedding 24-22 to the New York Giants on Monday, a defeat that snapped a 3-recreation successful streak.
Tampa Bay and Green Bay are amongst six NFC groups with 6-7 data, making the postseason implications of Sunday’s recreation obvious.
“We’ve just got to be ready to play playoff football,” Packers defensive lineman TJ Slaton mentioned. “That’s how I look at it.”
Boosting the Bucs’ playoff hopes with a 3rd straight win would assist Mayfield erase his disagreeable Lambeau Field reminiscences.
“It’s a historical place,” Mayfield mentioned. “I grew up a huge Brett Favre fan, so the first time I got to go up there, I just kind of took it all in pregame. When it comes down to it, it’s still a football field when the game comes. It’s a special place to play and a great opportunity for us in this end-of-season push that we have coming on. They’re in a similar situation as us, so it’s going to be a good matchup.”
ON THE RUN
Tampa Bay completed final within the NFL in dashing a yr in the past and is ranked twenty ninth in that class this yr with 90 yards per recreation, however the Bucs have improved in that regard these days.
The Bucs ran for a season-finest 148 yards at Atlanta for his or her third straight recreation with 125 or extra, the crew’s longest such stretch since 2015.
Green Bay’s protection has allowed a minimum of 140 yards dashing in 5 straight video games. The Packers might be attempting to rebound after giving up 209 yards dashing to the Giants, the fourth recreation through which they’ve yielded a minimum of 200.
“We’ve just got to do our job every single play,” Packers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell mentioned. “It’s not rocket science. It’s not hard. You’ve just got to do your job. That’s it.”
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Tampa Bay’s Rachaad White rushed for a season-excessive 102 yards in opposition to the Falcons. He additionally scored on a 31-yard reception and completed with a profession-finest 135 yards from scrimmage.
The second-yr professional ranks fourth amongst working backs in scrimmage yards with 1,164, behind San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey (1,614), Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne (1,189) and Buffalo’s James Cook (1,180).
“He knows when to run it in there and when to bounce it out,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles mentioned. “The maturation process for him has been really good.”
BOUNCING BACK
Both groups recovered from gradual begins to work their method into playoff competition.
The Bucs misplaced 4 straight video games to fall to three-5 however have gone 3-2 since, together with wins over Carolina and Atlanta the final two weeks. Green Bay had its personal 4-recreation skid to drop to 2-5 earlier than successful 4 of its final six video games.
ROOKIE RECEIVERS
Green Bay’s Jordan Love has been throwing primarily to rookies and second-yr execs in his first season as a starter. Many of these newcomers have stepped up.
In the loss to the Giants, Malik Heath turned the sixth Packers rookie with a landing reception this season. That’s probably the most by any crew within the Super Bowl period, excluding the 1987 strike season.
SHINING IN DECEMBER
Green Bay’s loss to the Giants dropped coach Matt LaFleur to 16-1 in December. The Packers haven’t misplaced a December residence recreation since falling 31-0 to the Detroit Lions on Dec. 30, 2018.
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AP Sports Writer Fred Goodall contributed to this report.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
