Mike McCarthy
Sunday’s game in Tampa between the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers shouldn’t be close. The Bucs have won just two games all season, including just 1 in their last 10. Tampa Bay is also 0-6 at home this season.
The Packers enter the game as 10-point favorites and the Bucs are without their best player, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who landed on injured reserve this week with a sprained knee.
There’s nothing that signals anything about this being a close game, but Packers coach Mike McCarthy is warning his team about overconfidence. The coach says the Bucs will be a motivated team, a team that will give the Packers their best shot.
AUDIO: Mike McCarthy says Tampa Bay will be motivated :22
AUDIO: McCarthy says the Bucs are a team that plays hard :20
The Packers are coming off a loss to the Buffalo Bills last Sunday and need to win the next two games to guarantee a fourth straight NFC North title and a first-round playoff bye.
McCarthy has put his team in playoff mode, even with two games left in the regular season. He’s even gone as far as having his players select the six playoff captains, two weeks before the actual playoffs begin.
The Playoff Captains
Offense – Aaron Rodgers & Jordy Nelson
Defense – Julius Peppers & Morgan Burnett
Special Teams – Randall Cobb & Jarrett Bush
Injury Report
The Packers have a total of eight players on their Wednesday injury report, but only three players didn’t participate in Wednesday’s practice. Josh Sitton (toe), Davon House (shoulder) and Bryan Bulaga (concussion) didn’t practice. Of the three, only House is expected to be out for Sunday’s game. McCarthy said Bulaga is going through concussion protocol but he looks good and things look good for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers.