Packers 14, Bucs 12: Everything you need to know

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dropped their 2022 regular-season home opener Sunday, falling 14-12 to the Green Bay Packers.

Here’s everything you need to know about Sunday’s disappointing loss:

Final Score: Packers 14, Bucs 12

(AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

Keys to the Game

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Offensive Struggles Continue

For the third straight week, the Bucs managed just one touchdown on offense, as they played through key absences across the board. Playing without their top three wide receivers, and starting a third-string left tackle, Tampa Bay didn’t find the end zone until the final seconds of the game, failing to move the ball consistently, turning the ball over multiple times, and settling for field goals.

Slow Start

Tampa Bay’s defense settled down after the first few drives, but the damage had already been done, as they allowed touchdowns on back-to-back possessions to start the game. They nearly allowed a third, but a clutch turnover stopped the bleeding. The rest of the game was much more promising, but this result proved that playing four full quarters of dominant defense is necessary while the offense gets healthy and sorts out its problems.

Critical Mistakes

The Bucs coughed the ball up multiple times, had a couple of costly penalties in key moments, including a delay of game penalty with the game on the line in the final seconds. Even with all the things they had working against them, Tampa Bay had plenty of opportunities to win this game, and they didn’t take ful advantage of them.

It was over when…

(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

The Bucs committed a delay of game penalty that backed up their two-point conversion try that could have tied the game, and Tom Brady’s subsequent toss into the end zone was deflected incomplete.

Players of the Game

(AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

QB Tom Brady

31/42, 271 yards, TD

S Mike Edwards

13 tackles, TFL

WR Russell Gage

12 receptions, 87 yards, TD

DL Logan Hall

Sack, 3 QB hits

K Ryan Succop

2/2 FGs, 6 points

Story continues

P Jake Camarda

6 punts, 297 yards, 49.5 average, 62 long

S Logan Ryan

FR, INT

DL Vita Vea

2 tackles, FF

Healthy Perspective

(Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)

A loss is a loss, but if Bucs fans are looking for any pewter linings in Sunday’s defeat, there are plenty.

Despite all of the injuries, the key players missing, the self-inflicted errors and missed opportunities, they still came up just two points short of beating another fellow NFC contender.

It’s only Week 3, and the Bucs have plenty of time to get healthy and find their footing before making sure they’re ready for another deep playoff run. This four-week start to the season was always going to be a gauntlet, and being 2-1 at this point is still a victory, considering all the adversity the team has faced up to this point.

What’s Next?

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

The Bucs (2-1) are back at home for Week 4, as they host Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of Super Bowl LV.

Story originally appeared on Buccaneers Wire