5 Big Questions ahead of Packers Week 3 matchup with Bucs
By Paul Bretl
The Green Bay Packers are 1-1 on the season but now face a difficult road test, heading to Tampa Bay to go up against a very stout Buccaneers defense.
Here are the five big questions facing the Packers prior to this matchup.
Can the Packers slow Leonard Fournette and the Bucs’ run game?
Just like the Green Bay Packers have question marks surrounding their wide receiver positions, so do the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mike Evans is suspended, Chris Godwin is already listed as out with a hamstring injury, while Julio Jones is questionable.
This may mean a heavy dose of Leonard Fournette against what has been a porous Packers’ run defense. Through two games, Green Bay is allowing 5.6 yards per carry and has been among the league’s worst tackling teams, according to PFF ($$).
Fournette, meanwhile, is averaging 4.3 yards per rush and has the fifth-most rushing yards in the NFL. Overall, Tampa hasn’t been overly efficient against the run, but they’ve been committed.
Under Joe Barry, the Packers’ first priority is to take away the passing game, specifically, the big downfield plays, which means playing with lightboxes and making Green Bay more susceptible against the run, especially with poor tackling.
As Matt LaFleur said on Wednesday, it is going to take all 11 players swarming to the football, and it also wouldn’t hurt to see Barry prioritize stopping the run first, given that the Bucs may be depleted at wide receiver and the Packers have what should be an elite cornerback trio.