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Green Bay Packers: Quick Reactions to NFC Championship Game

By Paul Bretl

Oct 18, 2020; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (right) greets Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (left) after a NFL game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 18, 2020; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (right) greets Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (left) after a NFL game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The NFC Championship Game is now set, and it will be a rematch from earlier this season, except this time, it will be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who will be traveling to face the Green Bay Packers.

As I said last week in previewing the Rams’ game, there will be plenty of time to deep dive into this upcoming matchup, but today I wanted to give my initial thoughts and reactions.

  • Let’s get this one out of the way, what happened more than two months ago has no bearing whatsoever on the upcoming game.
  • We saw the Saints have some success on the ground against Tampa Bay, and the Packers will have to do the same. In their Week 6 matchup, Green Bay became very one dimensional, and things went downhill from there.
  • And much like they did against the Rams, the Packers should be looking to run the ball between the tackles. There is no need to run outside and test those Tampa Bay linebackers.
  • Jamaal Williams had a 25 yard run, and AJ Dillon had a 20 yard run between the tackles. It can be done.
  • Brady loves to spread the ball around; every aspect of the Green Bay defense needs to be in-sync.
  • Are you ready to hear all about Rodgers vs. Brady this week?
  • Turnovers turned the tide in the previous matchup between these two teams; it’s hard to envision Rodgers doing that again.
  • For the most part, the Green Bay defense kept the Tampa passing game in check, but they found a lot of success on the ground, with the Bucs totaling 158 rushing yards.
  • While Mike Evans and Chris Godwin didn’t hurt this defense, Rob Gronkowski did. He had 78 yards on five receptions with a touchdown. The middle of the defense — which has had issues all season — will have to be better.
  • The Green Bay Packers’ OL had their worst performance of the season again the last time these two teams met. They’ll be much better this time around; they’re just too good to duplicate that performance.
  • Tampa finished the regular season top-10 in red zone scoring, and they were very efficient against the Packers last time.
  • The Green Bay Packers defense today, compared to the Packers defense in Week 6, are playing at a much different level.
  • Right now, the weather forecast shows a high of 32, a low of 23, and a chance of some snow in the evening.
  • This time of the year, special teams can be the difference between a win and a loss; let’s hope the Packers unit can keep it together.
  • Penalties were also a major factor the last time these two teams met. This was just a very uncharacteristically sloppy performance from Green Bay.
  • Playing in Tampa Bay in October vs. playing at Lambeau Field in January are two totally different environments.
  • The Green Bay Packer offense was not prepared for what Bucs’ defensive coordinator Todd Bowles was throwing at them with different blitzes, and coverage looks. I wouldn’t expect that to be the case this time around.
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