The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the rare opportunity play for and win a Super Bowl in their home stadium next month, but before they have a chance to do that, they first need to get past the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
The Buccaneers are coming off an impressive 30-20 win over the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional Round, which was their first win against the Saints in three games. In contrast, Tampa Bay is no stranger to defeating the Packers, as Tom Brady's squad crushed Green Bay in a Week 6 meeting, 38-10.
Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians, however, knows they will be facing a different and better Packers team led by Aaron Rodgers, the likely MVP winner who's spearheading a red-hot Packers offense coming off a 32-18 win over the Los Angeles Rams and their league-best defense.
Tampa Bay, meanwhile, was led against the Saints by Tom Brady, who's in the NFC Championship Game in his first year with the Buccaneers after dominating the AFC for many years while playing for the New England Patriots.
After doing well against Saints quarterback Drew Brees and wide receiver Michael Thomas last week, the Tampa Bay defense will face another challenge in trying to slow down Rodgers and his high-powered offense. Here are four bold predictions when the Buccaneers visit Lambeau Field.
1. Tom Brady passes for two touchdowns
If the AFC Championship Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills features a matchup between two of the best young quarterbacks in the league in Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, the game between the Buccaneers and Packers will be a battle between two of the greatest ever at the position in Brady and Rodgers.
Against the Saints, Brady completed 18-of-33 passes for 199 yards and two passing touchdowns while adding a rushing touchdown and throwing no interceptions as he outdueled Brees, who had three picks in what will likely be his final game.
In the Buccaneers’ Week 6 win over Green Bay, the 43-year-old had similar numbers, completing 17-of-27 passes for two touchdowns and no interceptions in their 38-10 win. It is important for the six-time Super Bowl champion to continue taking care of the ball against the Packers.
Brady was sacked just once against New Orleans, giving him enough time to find his receivers, which the Buccaneers need to do to have a chance against the Packers. After some struggles early in the season, Brady has the Tampa Bay offense firing on all cylinders, and it’s hard to bet against someone who has been through so many playoff battles, especially when he has a chance to add to his legacy against Rodgers and the Packers.
2. Mike Evans bounces back from a subpar game
Even if he managed to find the end zone against the Saints, Evans was limited to just three receiving yards on one catch and was largely a non-factor after a big game against the Washington Football Team in the Wild Card Round. The Buccaneers’ all-time receiver will likely face another talented defender in cornerback Jaire Alexander on Sunday, but Brady will have other targets that the Packers will have to worry about like Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, Rob Gronkowski, and Leonard Fournette, who all picked up the slack against New Orleans.
It’s possible that the three-time Pro Bowler could have a second straight subpar game, as he had earlier this season, but it’s more likely that he bounces back and reestablishes his connection with Brady and makes big plays during the course of the game as he usually does.
3. Buccaneers sack Aaron Rodgers three times
The Tampa Bay defense did a commendable job against the Saints in the Divisional Round, as Thomas didn’t have a catch on four targets, while Brees had three interceptions against one passing touchdown. Unlike Brees, however, Rodgers remains at the peak of his powers and is coming off a strong performance against the Rams in the Divisional Round.
Rodgers was sacked four times in Tampa Bay’s Week 6 win over the Packers, with linebackers Devin White and Lavonte David combining for 18 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks in that game. With the Tampa Bay defense hounding him all game long, the 37-year-old had his worst performance in an otherwise brilliant season, completing just 16-of-35 passes for 160 yards and two interceptions.
While the defense should also focus on running backs Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams, who both wreaked havoc against the Rams, applying pressure on Rodgers like they did in their win against Green Bay should help in slowing them down. If White, David, and other members of their defense can be as disruptive as they were before, then it should give the team a much better chance of leaving Lambeau Field with a stunning win.
4. Buccaneers fend off Packers and advance to Super Bowl
After ending their 13-year playoff drought, the Buccaneers now have a chance to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since winning it all in 2002. But to have a chance to play at Raymond James Stadium next month, they need to take down a Green Bay offense that has shown no signs of slowing down in recent weeks.
Tampa Bay enters the game as underdogs just like against the Saints, but if there’s any team with the weapons to keep in step with the Packers’ offense, it’s them, with Brady still playing well and having the luxury of having many targets. He's already the greatest quarterback the league has ever seen, and his tremendous playoff experience will come in handy for a squad with players who are not used to playing in the postseason.
The defense, meanwhile, is one of the best in the NFL and has particularly excelled at stopping the run while also giving Rodgers trouble in the past. As Arians and some of his players have said, the Buccaneers can’t expect that the NFC Championship Game will turn out the same way as their dominant Week 6 win over the Packers. But with an offense that’s playing well at the right time and a defense that’s still one of the best in the NFL, they have the tools they need to pull off another surprising win and book their ticket to the Super Bowl in their home stadium.
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