Getting some bang from Bucs
Rodgers has terrible day, throws two picks vs. opportunistic ‘D’
BUCCANEERS 38, PACKERS 10
TAMPA, Fla. — So much for Tom Brady vs. Aaron Rodgers.
A stingy Buccaneers defense turned a rare meeting between the Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks into a mismatch Sunday.
Brady outplayed Rodgers, but a young Bucs secondary was equally impressive in setting the tone for a 38-10 rout against the previously unbeaten Packers, who unraveled after taking a 10-0 lead and limiting the Bucs to just five offensive plays in the first quarter.
Rodgers threw two interceptions — Green Bay’s first turnovers of the season — within a three-pass span of the second quarter to turn the 10-point lead into a 14-10 deficit.
Cornerback Jamel Dean returned the first pick 32 yards for a touchdown. Safety Mike Edwards ran the other back 38 yards to the Packers’ 2 to set up another touchdown.
“Jamel made a hell of a play. It was a huge play. It sparked us,” Brady said.
“That pick-six changed the entire ballgame,” Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said.
It was the 43-year- old Brady’s first signature victory since signing with the Bucs (4-2) after a historic 20-year run with the Patriots, which included nine Super Bowl appearances and six championships.
He got his favorite target from his days with the Patriots into the mix, throwing a 12-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski for a 28-10 halftime lead. It was Gronkowski’s first touchdown since December 2018 and the 79th for the quarterback/tight end tandem — tied for fourth on the all-time list with Miami’s Dan Marino and Mark Clayton.
“I thought everybody stepped up and stepped in,” Arians said.
Brady also threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to rookie Tyler Johnson, and Ronald Jones rushed for 113 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Bucs, who didn’t turn the ball over, allow a sack or commit a single penalty after being flagged 11 times in a one-point loss to the Bears in their previous game.
“We took care of what beat us last week,” linebacker Devin White said.
Both of Rodgers’ interceptions — his first game with multiple picks since throwing three in a loss to the Panthers on Dec. 17, 2017 — came on throws intended for Davante Adams, who had a team-leading six catches for 61 yards in his return from a hamstring injury that sidelined him two games.
“I don’t feel like we ever got into a rhythm. Even with 10 points to start the game, we had off-schedule plays to kind of keep drives alive,” Rodgers said.
“I felt good about both throws. Missed the one slightly inside today, the other just looked like it was tight coverage. Those were frustrating plays, especially up 10-0 there, giving them basically 14 points, obviously changed the momentum of the game. I don’t feel like we were very efficient before that. We obviously weren’t very efficient after that.”
Rodgers finished 16-for-35 for 160 yards and no touchdowns after completing 70.5% of his passes and throwing for 13 touchdowns and no interceptions in the Packers’ first four games.
Brady, meanwhile, was 17-for-27 for 166 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Gronkowski led the Bucs with five receptions for 78 yards — his best game since ending a one-year retirement to join Brady with the Buccaneers.
“I thought Tom and Rob had great connections. We got the matchup we were looking for on the fade ball,” Arians said. “Gronk did a heck of a job adjusting on that ball and getting the touchdown. I just wish he could have spiked it with his right shoulder, but his right shoulder’s hurt.”
The Packers (4-1) were the first team in NFL history to score at least 150 points and commit no turnovers through the first four games of a season, and they had allowed only three sacks before Sunday.
The Bucs had two of their four sacks by halftime.