Packers Star Ratings: Buccaneers vs. Packers
Green Bay Packers are lucky to make it out of Lambeau with a victory. They snatched away from Tampa Bay in the waning moments of the game with a comeback, overtime victory. Packers did not play very well against the Buccaneers, and that’s okay because neither did Tampa. It’s apparent the Buccaneers should probably look into another direction than head coach Dirk Koetter. They should be much better than 4-8. Packers ate the W and keep their playoff hopes alive for another week.
Five Stars
Jamaal Williams – Just like the Packers did with Aaron Jones, Green Bay may have found something with Williams. He became the bellcow for Green Bay and delivered in a big way. Williams finished the game with 113 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown. He delivered some punishing runs to Buccaneers’ defenders and helped give Green Bay a chance at more scoring regularly throughout this game. Even with Jones probably at 100 percent next week, I’d be surprised if they went away from Williams as the lead back.
Clay Matthews – What do we have here? Clay Matthews came up with a huge game. This was probably his best game of the season. Matthews had the edge all game long, and it resulted in 2.5 sacks. Tampa had issues on their offensive line which has lead to more of a pass rush by the opposing team. Matthews took advantage. Hopefully, this launches a sack-filled December which would be huge for Green Bay.
Four Stars
Dean Lowry – Right place, right time for Dean Lowry. The second-year defensive lineman came up with a fumble around the Green Bay 40 and returned it all the way for a touchdown. We haven’t seen many defensive touchdowns from the Packers, and that one loomed large. Lowry didn’t just have the return either, he had a pretty good game with one sack and two pressures.
Josh Hawkins – We need to give a little love to Josh Hawkins who hasn’t been perfect this season, but he held Mike Evans in check for most of the game. Evans finished with only two catches late in the game, and Green Bay never really let him get going in this one. Hawkins did a nice job in coverage. You hope this can continue on into next week as the secondary deals with Corey Coleman and Josh Gordon.
Kenny Clark – How about Kenny Clark? The guy is playing with a bum ankle and still ends up being a beast out there for the defensive line. Clark had two sacks, two TFLs and two pressures on the quarterback. That’s a hell of a stat line for the young UCLA stud. He continues to look like one of the best payers on the defense. If Clark and Lowry are playing this well plus Mike Daniels doing the damn thing, Green Bay is hard to beat.
Three Stars
Jake Ryan – Hopefully, Ryan is okay as he suffered a neck injury in the game. You hate to hear that type of injury being the cause of departure. That said, he seemed like the only player willing to cover the flat for Green Bay. It’s no coincidence that the team got killed on wide receiver and running back screens when Ryan left the game. It’s been a problem for Green Bay for over a month, and no one can seem to fix it.
Two Stars
Brett Hundley – It was not the best day for Brett Hundley. Sadly, he never cured his Lambeau Field jitters as the Packers quarterback struggled in all three starts. But he did have a moment here with the fourth quarter comeback then the overtime drive. Hundley did more with legs than his arm. Let’s see if he can right the ship again on the road when Green Bay takes on Cleveland.
One Star
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix – Another week, another game where you wonder what happened the old Ha Ha? He is a shell of himself. I don’t know if Dom Capers is to blame or himself. It’s ugly out there. Green Bay continues to get beat in the middle of the field.
Jerome Whitehead – In his first appearance as a Packer, Whitehead got burned for two touchdowns. I’m going to make a guess that we don’t see him much.
Charlie.