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Green Bay Packers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Odds & NFL Predictions

Written September 26, 2008 by Jimmy Boyd

Both the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter this week’s NFC non-division matchup at 2-1 on the season. The Packers will try to bounce back from their first defeat of the season while the Bucs are coming off a thrilling win at Chicago. It appears home field is giving the Bucs the slightest of edges as odds makers have inked them in as 1-point favorites with the total set at 43.

This is where we see what Aaron Rodgers is really made of. Fresh off his first loss as an NFL starter, Rodgers faces the task of going on the road to get his team back in the win column.

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Rodgers has looked pretty good through the first few games of the season, helping his team to wins over NFC North rivals Minnesota and Detroit. He hit up the Cowboys for 290 yards last week, but was not able to get Green Bay in the end zone until the final period.

Rodgers has thrown for 796 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions thus far. He boasts a solid 102.9 passer rating as well. Greg Jennings has been his favorite target early on with 19 catches for a league-leading 373 yards. Donald Driver has 15 grabs and a touchown and tight end Donald Lee has caught 10 balls.

The Packers have had their problems in the running game however. Ryan Grant has just 166 yards and has been slowed by a hamstring injury. If Grant continues to struggle, we can expect to see more of Brandon Jacobs. You can bet the Packers will try to pass the Bucs to death this week and they’ll need their offensive line to be better in order to do so effectively. The line gave up five sacks in last week’s loss to Dallas.

The Green Bay secondary is banged up. Cornerback Al Harris is likely to miss the year with a ruptured spleen. Corner Charles Woodson, safeties Nick Collins, Atari Bigby, and Aaron Rouse are all questionable for this week’s game as well.

Luckily, the Packers have a nice pass rush to help out the secondary. Pro Bowl defensive end Aaron Kampman is off to another solid start with 10 tackles and four sacks. Green Bay’s defense has shown that it can be good, but not great this season. It’s likely going to be up to the offense to win this one, but luckily for the Pack, the Bucs play the same Tampa-2 defense that Rodgers had success against when facing the Vikes and the Lions. If you think Green Bay can bounce back this week, bet the Packers at Bookmaker and receive up to a 20% cash bonus.

Following a tough loss to division rival New Orleans to start the season, the Bucs have grinded out back-to-back wins over the Falcons and the Bears. If they are going to win for a third straight time, they’ll need another solid performance from veteran QB Brian Griese.

Griese brought the Bucs back from 10 points down to send the game into overtime last week where they would eventually win. In that win Griese set a franchise mark for passing attempts and threw for 407 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted three times and that number is going to have to get cut down if he he hopes to lead his team to another win.

There may have to be a few new options emerge in the Tampa Bay offense this week as No. 1 wideout Joey Galloway is questionable with a foot injury. With a banged up Green Bay secondary, a healthy Galloway would give the Bucs a nice edge, but it looks like Tampa will have no such luck.

Veteran receivers Antonio Bryant and Ike Hilliard will likely have to step up again. The Bears were extremely tough on the run last week, holding Earnest Graham to only 16 yards on 12 carries. The Packers have not been nearly as good at stopping the run and that will likely entice head coach Jon Gruden to pound the football more this week. Graham has 223 yards on the season and Warrick Dunn has 134 yards. If you like Tampa Bay to rattle off its third straight win, bet the Buccaneers at Bookmaker this week.

Remember to check the NFL expert picks released by our handicappers each week if you want the best chance at beating the NFL betting lines.