It was an ugly win, but the Green Bay Packers got back into the winner’s circle with a 17-14 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. The win however was costly, as star linebacker Edgerrin Cooper was likely lost for a while with a serious lower-leg injury. The Packers held off the Bucs, who had undrafted-rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels starting his first NFL game. Packers quarterback Jordan Love had 197 yards and 2 touchdowns on 22-for-30 passing. Matthew Golden and Tucker Kraft were the recipients of those touchdown passes. The Packers defense would hold off the Bucs on their comeback attempt, highlighted by third-year safety Evan WIlliams, with a 4th-quarter sack and then a hurry on the Bucs’ 4th-down attempt. Williams also had a first-quarter interception. Cooper had an interception in the second quarter, which set up the Packers for a Trey Smack 58-yard field goal before halftime. Those three points would be the decisive points in the game.   1st Quarter On the game’s first drive, the Bucs went three and out. Bucky Irving had two runs which set up a 3rd and 2, but the pressure of Lukas Vaness led to a sack by Ederrin Cooper on the 3rd down play. On the Packers first drive of the game, they were able to get into Bucs territory after a Tucker Kraft catch and run on the Packers' 2nd play from scrimmage. On the next set of downs, the Packers got into 3rd down, a down they’ve struggled on all season. On their first 3rd down of the game, Bo Melton dropped a pass down the seam from Jordan, which would have put the Packers inside the Bucs 20-yard line. Evan Williams got his first interception of the season on the Bucs’ 2nd drive of the game. Williams’ interception on the near sideline put the Packers at their own 32-yard line for their 2nd drive of the game. On the Packers’ 2nd drive of the game, they were able to get into scoring range after an explosive run by Chris Brooks and a 4th down pickup by Tucker Kraft. On the Packers second 4th down play of the drive, Kraft picked it up again, but this time on a quarterback sneak. The game was scoreless after the first quarter. 2nd Quarter The Packers continued their long drive into the 2nd quarter. On 2nd down and goal, Tucker Kraft dropped a would-be touchdown. It was the second dropped pass from the Packers’ receivers. The Packers would get a second set of downs and on their third 4th down conversion of the drive, they would convert for six points, as Matthew Golden hauled in a 6-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Love. It was Golden’s second touchdown of the season. The Bucs would punt on their first drive of the 2nd quarter. The big play in the drive was a drop by Bucs tight end Cade Otton. Edgerrin Cooper made the tackle on Daniels’ scramble on 3rd and 10. On the Packers’ next drive, an offensive pass interference by Christian Watson, cost the Packers a big play. They would go three and out after the 1st and 20. The Packers were 0-for-5 on 3rd downs at this point in the game. The Bucs would drive into scoring range on their second drive of the 2nd quarter. The big play was a completion from Daniels to Ted Hurst for a gain of 21 yards. Sean Tucker would pick up 8 yards on 4th and 1, and then put the Bucs into the end zone for the first time, tying the game at 7-7. Tucker’s 2-yard touchdown run would continue the Packers’ putrid defense in the red zone. The Packers once again would have a penalty affect their ability to pick up a first down. Matthew Golden dropped a 3rd down pass from Jordan Love. A pick-up would have been the Packers’ first 3rd down conversion of the game. Initially the play was ruled a catch and fumble, but the original call was overturned. The Bucs had the ball before the end of the half, but the Packers defense came up with their second big play of the half. On 2nd-and-10 from the Packers’ 41-yard line, Jalon Daniels’ pass was intercepted by Edgerrin Cooper, Cooper’s first takeaway of the season. Cooper’s 18-yard return put the Packers into scoring range. Trey Smack hit his 2nd 58-yard field goal of the season on the final play of the half, giving the Packers a 10-7 lead going into halftime. Jordan Love would finish the first half, 10 for 15 for just 65 yards. The Packers offense finished the half 0-for-6 on 3rd down. The defense had its first two-interception game of the season, and first in the regular season since last November against the New York Giants. 3rd Quarter The Packers would receive the 2nd half kickoff and march the ball downfield for a 10-play, 80-yard drive, ending with a Tucker Kraft two-yard touchdown catch, his first touchdown of the season. The play was originally ruled an incompletion, but Packers head coach Matt LaFleur challenged the call, resulting in Kraft's touchdown, putting the Packers ahead 17-7. On their first drive of the 3rd quarter, the Bucs would go 3 and out, as Xaviuer McKinney sacked Jalon Daniels on 3rd down and 8. However, the play was costly for the Packers as Edgerrin Cooper went down untouched, injuring his lower leg. At the moment, it looked like a possible achilles injury, which would end the standout linebacker’s season. The Packers once again would punt early in a drive after an early penalty on its offensive line. This time it was an illegal hands to the face by guard Laken Tomlinson. The Packers’ offense would punt each time they had a penalty to start their offensive drive. Daniel Whelan would have his best punt of the day, 61 yards, pinning the Bucs inside their own 20-yard line. The Bucs would have the ball last in the 3rd quarter. The big play was a 3rd down and 2 conversion, a 21-yard run from Daniels. The Packers vacated the middle of the field and Daniels ran right where Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie abanonded. The Packers led 17-7 at the end of the quarter. 4th Quarter The Bucs would once again capitalize when they got the ball inside the Packers’ 20-yard line. Daniels scrambled on 3rd down, finding running back Kenneth Gainwell open on the sideline. Gainwell would head into the end zone untouched, scoring a touchdown and cutting the Packers’ lead to 17-14. The Bucs’ scoring drive was 14 plays for 89 yards. On the Packers’ first drive of the 4th quarter, they would overcome a penalty to start the drive, a 4th time this happened in the game, only to fumble away a chance to go up 24-14. The Packers drive was 13 plays for 73 yards and included two 3rd-down conversions, an 18-yard completion to Watson and then a defensive holding penalty on a 3rd-down and 5. The drive however would end terribly as Kaleb Johnson lost a fumble on a 1st down and goal carry from the Bucs’ 4-yard line.. The Bucs would recover the fumble, taking over at their own 2-yard line. The Packers defense would get off the field on the next drive, sacking Daniels on 3rd and long at his own 1-yard line. Brenton Cox Jr. made the tackle of Daniels after the Bucs’ quarterback fumbled the shotgun snap. Skyy Moore would return the punt to the Bucs’ 33-yard line, setting up the Packers’ drive with a 17-14 lead. The Packers next drive would last just two plays, ending with Jordan Love’s third interception of the season. He was targeting Matthew Golden inside the Bucs 10-yard line, but the ball was picked off by Bucs cornerback Jonnu Parrish. On back-to-back drives, the Packers cost themselves with turnovers and lost two chances to go up by two scores and put the 0-3 Bucs away. The Bucs would take over at their own 15-yard line following the Parrish interception. They would drive into Packers’ territory. On 2nd and 10 from the Packers’ 48-yard line. Evan Williams sacked Daniels, pushing the Bucs back into a 3rd and 16. On 4th down and 11, Williams once again rushed in on Daniels, forcing an incompletion and a turnover on downs. The Packers would get their 2nd straight win in Tampa Bay, both coming on 4th quarter stops and overcoming offensive struggles and scoring just two touchdowns. The win in 2022 was by the score 14-12. The Packers improve to 2-2 and the Bucs fall to 0-4. Scoring Summary   1 2 3 4 F Rec. Green Bay 0 10 7 0 17 2-2 Tampa Bay 0 7 0 7 14 0-4 GB-Golden 6 yard pass from Love(Smack kick) 7-0 2nd TB-Tucker 2 yard run(McLaughlin kick) 7-7 2nd GB-Smack 58 yard FG 10-7 2nd GB-Kraft 2 yard pass from Love(Smack kick) 17-7 3rd TB-Gainwell 10 yard pass from Daniels(McLaughlin kick) 17-14 4th   Filed Under: FeaturedMitchell McLaughlin PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Mitch McLaughlin is a Packers fan and shareholder residing in Sacramento, California. He will be writing Packers stories each week on Cheesehead TV. He can be found on Twitter: @McLaughlinMitch __________________________   NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTampa Bay BuccaneersTags: Packers vs Bucs Like 0 points

It wasn't pretty, but a win is a win is a win, and the Packers will take it.

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