The Green Bay Packers enter today’s game with a couple of simple goals in mind. 1) Run the football and 2) keep their quarterback (Aaron Rodgers) healthy going into next week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.
The Packers are in one of those no-win situations. Just like previous games against Detroit and Cleveland, today’s game at Tampa Bay should be a one-sided affair. The 0-7 Buccaneers remain the only win-less team in the NFL and they may challenge the 2008 Detroit Lions as a potential 0-16 team.
The Packers should have an easy time today against the overmatched Bucs. Tampa Bay can’t stop the run, so this is another good opportunity for Mike McCarthy to commit to the ground game and at the same time, keep their quarterback from getting hit.
The offense gets Chad Clifton back at left tackle and Mark Tauscher is expected to start at right tackle. Together, they’ll try to improve pass protection unit that has allowed a league leading 31 quarterback sacks.
Scott Wells will start at center for the rest of the season after the Packers put Jason Spitz on season ending injured reserve on Saturday. So the line looks like it’s set with Daryn Colledge at left guard and Josh Sitton at right guard. Allan Barbre could split snaps with Tauscher today, but it appears that Tauscher will eventually take over on a full-time basis.
The Packers defense should be able to confuse new Buccaneers starter Josh Freeman at quarterback and dominate their side of the ball. When the day is done, the Packers should be flying home with a 5-3 record at the midway point of the season, with a home game against the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday at Lambeau Field.
