The Green Bay Packers (1-2) will get a chance to bounce back from a humbling home defeat in Week 3 and avoid an eighth loss in the last nine games dating back to last season when they go back on the road to play the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4. Todd Bowles' team has lost three straight games to start the 2026 season and won't have starting quarterback Baker Mayfield available on Sunday.
Can the Packers get back on track against a winless team starting a rookie quarterback? Or is there another level before rock bottom hits? Given how poorly Matt LaFleur's team is playing, the Packers can't expect to beat any team on the schedule unless they execute far better on both sides of the football.
Here's a closer look at the Buccaneers entering
Week 4:
Last week
The Buccaneers finished 2-for-19 on third or fourth down, averaged 3.8 yards per play, allowed six sacks, turned the ball over twice (including a turnover returned for a touchdown) and went 0-for-2 scoring touchdowns in the red zone during a 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3. The Bucs couldn't run the ball, averaging only 2.7 yards per rush over 21 attempts, and Brian Flores' blitz-heavy defense overwhelmed Tampa Bay's front. Sound familiar? The Bucs were excellent on defense, allowing only nine first downs and two third down conversions, and the Vikings averaged only 4.3 yards per play. Rookie receiver Ted Hurst caught a 40-yard touchdown pass, and kicker Chase McLaughlin made all three field goals, including a 54-yarder. The biggest news: quarterback Baker Mayfield suffered a right thumb injury, missed the final drive and won't play Sunday against the Packers.
Newcomers
The Buccaneers added veteran running back Kenneth Gainwell, linebacker Alex Anzalone, defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson, offensive lineman Justin Skule, defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches, defensive lineman Al-Quadin Muhammad, linebacker Christian Rozeboom and safety Miles Killebrew during the offseason, the first four draft picks -- first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr., second-round pick Josiah Trotter, third-round pick Ted Hurst and fourth-round pick Keionte Scott are all playing starting roles to start the 2026 season.
Quarterback play
Starter Baker Mayfield has a thumb injury and won't play, so the Bucs will prepare undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels for his first NFL start on Sunday. Daniels, a rookie out of Kansas, was impressive during the preseason and beat out veteran Jake Browning for the backup job behind Mayfield. Now, just four weeks in, he'll be under center in a must-win game for the Bucs. Daniels isn't a tall quarterback (just over 6-0), but he is athletic as a runner and as a scrambler outside the pocket, and his arm is good enough to push the ball downfield. One of his biggest problems as a college starter was forcing the ball into coverage, so turnover opportunities should be present for the Packers on Sunday.
Injury situation
The big injury is to quarterback Baker Mayfield, who won't play because of a thumb injury. But the Bucs didn't have rookie starters Rueben Bain Jr. (groin) and Josiah Trotter (shoulder) in Week 3 due to injuries, and receiver Jalen McMillan is expected to miss significant time with a knee injury. The rest of the roster looks healthy. Tampa Bay will release the team's first injury report of the week on Wednesday.
Players to know
- LT Tristan Wirfs: The perennial All-Pro is one of the NFL's truly dominant offensive linemen. He's allowed two sacks and committed four penalties to start the 2026 season, but Wirfs will provide a big test for Lukas Van Ness.
- S Antoine Winfield Jr.: One of the NFL's most versatile defensive backs. Winfield is a terrific run defender, a disruptive blitzer and a highly capable coverage player from multiple alignments. The Packers need to know where he is pre-snap on every play.
- DL Vita Vea: Can the Packers interior offensive line handle one of the game's best nose tackles? Vea is big, powerful and surprisingly quick. And he can wreck a run game almost singlehandedly.
- WR Emeka Egbuka: The 2025 first-round pick leads the team in targets (20), catches (13) and receiving yards (141). He's a smooth route runner who will provide problems for Keisean Nixon and Brandon Cisse on the perimeter.
- RB Bucky Irving: Expect plenty of touches for Irving, considering the Bucs are starting a rookie quarterback and the Packers are coming off a rough performance against Bijan Robinson. The Bucs get Irving the ball as both a runner (40 attempts) and receiver (13 catches).
- DL Calijah Kancey: The 2023 first-round pick leads the Bucs with eight pressures. He had back-to-back seasons with at least 40 pressures to start his NFL career. No. 94 is the one to watch on passing downs.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers vs. Bucs: 5 things to know about Green Bay's Week 4 opponent
