PACKERS INSIDER
THE BIG PICTURE
Improbable as it seems, the Packers kept their postseason hopes alive Sunday with a 26-20 overtime victory over the Buccaneers that snapped their three-game Lambeau Field losing streak. At 6-6, they will be favored to win next Sunday at winless Cleveland, and that would keep them in contention while awaiting a possible Week 15 return by quarterback Aaron Rodgers at Carolina. If the Packers can reach coach
Mike McCarthy’s stated annual goal of getting at least 10 wins, they still could find themselves making what would be an NFLrecord nine straight playoff appearances.
TURNING POINT
In the absence of a consistent, drivesustaining offense, the Packers managed to turn the game in their favor with a couple of huge defensive plays. With the Bucs leading 7-3 early in the second quarter, linebacker Kyler Fackrell got his hand on a punt attempt and the Packers took over on the Tampa Bay 45. Five plays later, Jamaal
Williams scored on a 1-yard run for a 10-7 lead. On the Buccaneers’ next possession, defensive tackle Kenny Clark stripped the ball from quarterback Jameis Winston on a sack and took the fumble 62 yards for a touchdown and a 17-7 lead. Dean Lowry
THUMBS UP
The Packers’ pass rush was missing in action in Pittsburgh, where Ben Roethlisberger was virtually untouched. With Winston making his first start back from a shoulder injury, the Packers needed to apply pressure against a banged-up Bucs offensive line. That they did, led by two key contributors who returned from injury: linebacker Clay Matthews (21⁄2 sacks) and Clark (first two career sacks). For Matthews, it was his 14th career game with multiple sacks. Green Bay finished with seven sacks, one short of the team record set against Philadelphia in 2004, and registered 13 quarterback hits.
THUMBS DOWN
Life with a backup quarterback means the Packers never know from week to week who will show up: Good Brett or Bad Brett. There was very little good about Brett Hundley’s performance for most of the day. He badly missed a wide-open Geronimo Allison on a corner route in the end zone on the Packers’ first drive, forcing them to settle for a field goal. He threw a bad second-quarter interception when he said he and his receivers "weren't on the same page." Facing the NFL’s worst-ranked pass defense, Hundley hit only 13 of 22 passes for a paltry 84 yards (their fewest in a win since Week 9 of the 1994 season, according to ESPN) and a passer rating of 48.3. He salvaged the game by using his feet, gaining 66 yards on seven carries (including clutch runs of seven and 18 yards in overtime). His rushing total was the best by a Packers quarterback since Don Majkowski gained 88 on eight carries at Detroit on Sept. 30, 1990. But the Packers won’t beat good teams without a passing game.
BITS AND PIECES
The Packers’ seven sacks were their most since they also had seven against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 28, 2015.
The Packers improved to 33-21-1 all time (regular season and playoffs) against the Buccaneers, who were one of their old NFC Central rivals from 1977-2001.
With a game-time temperature of 42 degrees, it marked only the ninth December game in Lambeau Field history to be played in the 40s. The Packers have won all nine.