Packers lose to Buccaneers at Lambeau Field; former NFC central foes battle

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Dec. 17, 2023. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Baker Mayfield threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their third straight, 34-20 over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Mayfield went 22 of 28 and threw touchdown passes to Mike Evans, Rachaad White, Ko Kieft and David Moore to help the Buccaneers (7-7) keep pace with New Orleans (7-7) atop the NFC North. Mayfield's passer rating was a perfect 158.3.

Chris Godwin had 10 catches for 155 yards for the Bucs.

Green Bay (6-8) lost its second straight to deal its playoff hopes a major blow. Jordan Love was 29 of 39 for 284 yards with touchdown passes to Tucker Kraft and Jayden Reed.

This marked the third straight season in which Mayfield had faced the Packers at Lambeau Field in December — each time for a different team. He threw four interceptions in Cleveland's 24-22 Christmas Day loss to the Packers in 2021 and was Los Angeles’ starter when the Rams fell 24-12 last Dec. 19.

Mayfield was sacked five times Sunday, just as he was in those other Lambeau Field appearances. But he otherwise was far more successful.

After going 14 of 29 each of the last two weeks, Mayfield opened the game with seven straight completions and later threw touchdown passes on Tampa Bay’s first three second-half possessions. Mayfield lost a fumble at his own 4-yard line to set up a first-quarter touchdown for Green Bay, but that was pretty much the only mistake he made.

One week earlier, Mayfield threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Cade Otton with 31 seconds left in a 29-25 victory at Atlanta.

Mayfield drove the Bucs into position for Chase McLaughlin's 46-yard field goal just before halftime that put Tampa Bay ahead at the break. After Tampa Bay forced a three-and-out on the opening drive of the second half, the Bucs extended their lead to 20-10 on Mayfield’s 26-yard touchdown pass to White.

Green Bay answered on its next series as Love scrambled and found Reed in the right corner of the end zone for a 17-yard gain on third-and-15. But the Packers couldn’t slow down Mayfield, who threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Kieft for the tight end's first catch of the season.

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After the Packers cut the lead to 27-20 on Anders Carlson’s 33-yard field goal with 10:04 left, Mayfield threw a short pass that Moore turned into a 52-yard touchdown. It was Moore's first TD since 2020, when he played for Seattle.

INJURIES

Bucs: CB Carlton Davis (groin) and DL William Gholston (knee/ankle) didn't play.

Packers: Reed hurt his toe in the second half. ... CB Jaire Alexander (shoulder) missed a sixth straight game and WR Christian Watson (hamstring) sat out a second straight. S Darnell Savage (shoulder) also didn't play.

UP NEXT

Buccaneers: Host Jacksonville next Sunday.

Packers: Visit Carolina next Sunday.