The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are running out of room for moral victories after opening the season with three consecutive losses, and getting their first win won't be easy with Baker Mayfield sidelined.
Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels will make his first NFL start Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, putting Tampa Bay's offense in unfamiliar territory. The Buccaneers don't necessarily need Daniels to put up huge numbers to have a chance, but they will need him to protect the football and give a defense that played well against Minnesota opportunities to control the game.
Green Bay has its own problems. The Packers enter the game at 1-2 and will be missing multiple offensive linemen, potentially giving Tampa Bay's pass rush an opportunity to make life
difficult for Jordan Love.
Here are three bold predictions for Sunday's matchup.
1. Jalon Daniels protects the football and leads the Bucs to their first win
Daniels doesn't need to look like Baker Mayfield on a good day for Tampa Bay to win this game. He needs to look like a rookie quarterback who understands what his team is asking of him.
The biggest thing will be avoiding the mistakes that give Green Bay short fields or easy points. Tampa Bay's defense held Minnesota to 230 total yards last week, but the Buccaneers' offense struggled to stay on the field, converting just two of 17 third-down opportunities. Daniels extending a few of those drives, whether with his arm or his legs, could completely change how Sunday's game plays out.
His mobility also gives Tampa Bay something different at quarterback. Daniels rushed for 1,445 yards and 23 touchdowns during his college career at Kansas, and he showed that ability during the preseason with 37 rushing yards and a touchdown. Don't be surprised if one of his biggest plays Sunday comes with his legs, potentially even around the goal line.
The prediction isn't that Daniels lights up Green Bay through the air. It's that he protects the football, creates enough first downs to keep Tampa Bay's defense rested, and makes a handful of plays when the Buccaneers need them. If he can do that without handing Green Bay extra possessions, Tampa Bay gets its first win of the season.
2. The Buccaneers sack Jordan Love four times
Tampa Bay hasn't recorded four sacks in a game this season, but Sunday presents its best opportunity yet.
The Buccaneers recorded a season-high three sacks against Kyler Murray and the Vikings in Week 3, with Alex Anzalone, David Walker and Anthony Nelson each getting to the quarterback. Walker has now recorded a sack in consecutive games after missing his entire rookie season with a torn ACL.
Green Bay's offensive line will also enter Raymond James Stadium short-handed. Guard Aaron Banks and center/guard Jacob Monk have been ruled out, while center/guard Jager Burton is questionable with a groin injury. That gives Todd Bowles an opportunity to attack a reshuffled group protecting Love.
The Buccaneers will be without Rueben Bain Jr., so getting to four sacks won't be easy. Still, Tampa Bay has started getting more production from its pass rush, and the Packers' injuries up front make this a matchup where that progress could finally turn into a breakout performance.
Four sacks would establish a new season high for the Buccaneers, and that's exactly what I'm predicting.
3. The Buccaneers score a special-teams touchdown
Tampa Bay was on the wrong side of one of the biggest special-teams plays of Week 3 when Minnesota's Myles Price returned a punt for an 86-yard touchdown. This week, I'm predicting the Buccaneers will be the team to find the end zone on special teams.
It doesn't necessarily have to come on a kickoff return. A punt return, a blocked kick returned for a touchdown, or another special-teams opportunity all count here. The point is that Tampa Bay gets a score from somewhere other than its offense or defense.
That would be particularly valuable with Daniels making his first start. Every possession will matter, and stealing seven points by having the rookie quarterback drive the length of the field without asking could completely change a close game.
Tampa Bay hasn't gotten much to celebrate through the first three weeks, but Sunday's matchup gives it another opportunity to change the direction of its season. If Daniels takes care of the football, the pass rush takes advantage of Green Bay's injuries up front, and special teams score, the Buccaneers could finally leave Raymond James Stadium with their first win.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 3 bold predictions for Buccaneers vs. Packers in Week 4
