Countdown to Kickoff: Packers-Buccaneers, Week 3 2022

The highly-anticipated spectacle has arrived. In Week Three, the Buccaneers will host Aaron Rodgers and the Inexperienced Bay Packers in Tampa Bay’s house opener at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, September 25 at 4:25 p.m. ET. Each golf equipment are touted as contenders within the NFC and the Bucs will attempt for his or her first 3-0 begin in 17 years. The matchup is headlined by two legendary quarterbacks, nonetheless, the conflict might hinge on two formidable defenses and rolling floor assaults. With each groups present process an offensive transition out of necessity, this marquee matchup will seemingly stray from custom or preconceived notions accompanying the phrase, “Brady-Rodgers.” After per week of preparation, here’s what it comes right down to:

• 9.7. Aaron Jones ran outdoors the tackles on 12 of 15 carries for 116 yards and a landing, gaining 9.7 yards per carry per such runs in Week Two, in accordance with Subsequent Gen Stats. Schematically, Inexperienced Bay has structured the offense to get Jones on the perimeter to maximise his potential to make defenders miss within the open filed. Each setting the sting and disciplined pursuit angles will likely be keys for the Bucs’ protection.
• 19 %. The Packers have been in a position to generate strain with 4 up entrance. Nostril sort out Kenny Clark has the highest-pressure fee amongst defensive tackles at 19 % in 2022. Moreover, Rashan Gary is fourth in strain fee amongst 3-4 edges at 20 % and linebacker Preston Smith is fifth within the NFL in pressures with 11 – main the league in strain fee at 26 %. Inexperienced Bay’s scoring protection at present ranks seventh, at 16.5 factors allowed per sport.
• 6.5. The Buccaneers’ defensive onslaught has allowed a league-low 6.5 factors per sport by way of the primary two weeks of the 2022 season and have solely allowed one landing. The Tampa Bay protection has accrued a league-high 10 sacks, spearheaded by Devin White and Shaquil Barrett. Conversely, the Packers have had bother maintaining Rodgers clear within the pocket, ensuing within the fifth worst sack fee allowed in 2022 (10.94 %).
• twentieth, or the Packers rating in passing yards per sport by way of the primary two weeks. Aaron Rodgers has accrued simply two landing passes because the Packers have taken a run-heavy strategy out of necessity. With a rebuilt receiving corps, the Packers’ offense has been led by a two-headed monster in Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon as Rodgers seeks to type synergy with a brand new surrounding solid.

• The Buccaneers’ last damage report of Week Three listed eight gamers with both questionable, uncertain, or out designations. 4 of these on the compilation had been receivers. Chris Godwin has been dominated out of the sport as anticipated after not working towards for the second straight week resulting from a hamstring damage. Moreover, Julio Jones (knee), Russell Gage (hamstring) and Breshad Perriman (knee) are all questionable to play vs. the Packers. With Mike Evans serving a one-game suspension, the Bucs have a thinned room. Tampa Bay elevated Cole Beasley from the follow squad to the lively roster to be able to contribute on Sunday, including a brand new wrinkle to Byron Leftwich’s offense.
• Donovan Smith, the Buccaneers’ beginning left sort out since 2015, is listed as uncertain to play. Smith practiced in a restricted trend on Thursday and was downgraded to a non-participant in Friday’s follow on the AdventHealth Coaching Middle. After struggling a proper elbow damage in Week One in opposition to Dallas, Smith missed the Week Two matchup with the Saints in New Orleans. The mainstay sort out has by no means missed two consecutive video games, nonetheless, with inactivity on Friday, he could also be nearer to breaking the streak.
• For the Packers, receiver Sammy Watkins was dominated out resulting from a hamstring damage. Inexperienced Bay listed a number of as questionable to play on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium together with receivers Christian Watson (hamstring) and Randall Cobb (sickness), tight finish Mercedes Lewis (groin) and sort out David Bakhtiari (knee). Cobb didn’t follow through the week and Bakhtiari was a restricted participant on Friday for the second consecutive day. With Watkins out of the lineup and two extra receivers with questionable designations, Head Coach Matt LaFleur advised native media previous to Friday’s follow that fourth-round decide Romeo Doubs should “take extra of a load” in opposition to the Bucs.

The Packers have among the finest operating again tandems within the NFL with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. Their twin backfield has been efficient in 2022 – Inexperienced Bay is ranked sixth in dashing yards per sport and third in yards per carry. Each Jones and Dillon pose an upside as receiving threats, tying for the workforce lead with six catches every. The backs have complimentary types, with Jones’ shiftiness within the open area and Dillon’s one-cut downhill prowess. In opposition to the Bears in Week Two, the Packers utilized counter pulls, crack again blocks, jet sweeps and screens to get the operating backs on the perimeter. The dynamic duo can carry the offensive load if obligatory. Inexperienced Bay has a revamped receiver room with the departures of Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown. Free agent acquisition Sammy Watkins and rookies Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are present process an acclimation interval, gaining chemistry with Aaron Rodgers. It stays to be seen if they’ll foster the Packers’ high-powered offense, inserting emphasis on a run-heavy system. Whichever workforce can run the ball efficiently on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium will seemingly dictate who leaves the matchup victorious.

Regardless of the Packers’ reliance on the run as of late, the workforce nonetheless has Aaron Rodgers on the helm – a future Corridor of Fame quarterback. With an illustrious profession spanning 18 seasons with the Packers, Rodgers has thrown for 55,789 yards and 451 touchdowns. He has been chosen to eight Professional Bowls and has received 4 MVP Awards, amongst different notable accolades. With a fast launch, Rodgers can mitigate strain. Final season, Rodgers tallied the quickest time of his profession from snap to throw (2.59 seconds) in releasing the soccer. When opponents do convey additional rushers on blitzes, Rodgers processes and exploits. He scans the sector, is aware of the place his second, third and fourth choices are – a rarity on the place – and might make a throw from any angle with pinpoint accuracy. That’s daunting for any defensive coordinator to cope with, nonetheless, Todd Bowles’ disguises and multiple-look fronts with tailored personnel have precipitated the Packers’ suits. Within the two contests between Rodgers and a Bowles-led protection, No. 12 has been sacked 9 instances, together with 5 within the 2020 NFC Championship Recreation that supplied the Bucs with a visit to the Tremendous Bowl. One other chess match awaits on Sunday, because the masterminds go head-to-head, this time on the Bucs’ house area.

Making ready for the Packers’ one-two punch of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon:

“They each can do all the things. Clearly, Aaron [Jones] is quicker – he performs wideout, he performs operating again, he strikes inside, he strikes outdoors, he performs the slot – he does loads of issues nice. He is very explosive when he catches the ball and when he runs the ball, he can break it and he can flip a four-yard achieve right into a 60-yard achieve. AJ [Dillon] is simply powerful to convey down. He is powerful – not solely is he powerful, he has excellent toes. He can catch the soccer as effectively. These two, together with Aaron [Rodgers] and the remainder of the blokes – it is going to be a tricky draw.”