Green Bay Packers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Breaking Down Tampa Bay's Game Plan

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are finished on the road this season, returning to close out the 2014 season with a two-game home stand that begins with the Green Bay Packers coming to Raymond James Stadium this week.

The Bucs currently occupy the NFL cellar at 2-12, leading the race for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft based on strength of schedule. The Packers are in quite the opposite situation, trying to fight off the Detroit Lions for the NFC North crown and a high seed in the playoffs.

Tampa Bay gets the unsavory task of catching the Packers team that’s coming off a disappointing road loss to the Buffalo Bills, making it likely that Aaron Rodgers and company will have plenty of frustration to take out on their former division rivals.

Neither of these two teams are any stranger to close games, but the results have been extremely different, as Chris Myers of Fox Sports—who will be calling the game with former Bucs great Ronde Barber, per CheeseheadTV's Brian Carriveau—pointed out:

Will Tampa Bay be the second-straight home spoiler for Green Bay, or will Rodgers make the struggling Bucs pay for their last week’s disappointment?

Here’s what Tampa Bay’s game plan could look like on both sides of the ball this week.

When Tampa Bay Has the Ball

If the Bucs want any shot at winning this game, they’ll likely have to win a shootout against Aaron Rodgers with an offensive attack—and I’m using that word loosely—that ranks 30th in the NFL in total yards per game, and 27th in points per game.

That said, Tampa Bay hung with Drew Brees and the Saints’ high-powered passing attack in a 37-31 road loss earlier this year, so it’s not completely impossible.

The focus in this game might be on passing, but Tampa Bay might be best off trying to establish and stay committed to the run, something they’ve struggled to do in the second half of games this season. Why could a consistent ground attack be even more important this week than usual? Because the Bucs are facing a Green Bay defense that ranks 26th in the league in rushing yards allowed, giving up 128 yards per game.

Last week was just the latest example of the Bucs enjoying a successful first half on the ground, only to abandon it in the second half, despite the game being close. As Pewter Report pointed out, Doug Martin was having his best game of the season last week, until the second half:

Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times went a little further, showing that both Martin’s carries and yards have dropped considerably in the second half over the past four weeks:

The Bucs have enough weapons on offense to be successful. Vincent Jackson has continued to move the chains over the past few weeks, rookie standout Mike Evans, even on his leaner weeks, keeps finding the end zone and Charles Sims has shown flashes out of the backfield, especially as a receiver.

But just like every other week, Tampa Bay’s offensive success this week will come down to whether their struggling offensive line can control the line of scrimmage and give those weapons the opportunity to do what they do best. If they can’t consistently open holes in the running game or give Josh McCown enough time to find his playmakers down the field, it’s going to be a long afternoon for Bucs fans.

When Green Bay Has the Ball

After watching film of Buffalo’s win over the Packers last week, the Tampa Bay defense should come away with a single directive: get physical.

Buffalo roughed up Rodgers’ favorite targets all afternoon long, disrupting the rhythm Green Bay’s potent passing attack has been using to dominate opponents for most of the season. Throw in a rare case of the drops, and you had a recipe for Rodgers’ worst outing of the year, as the NFL Most Valuable Player candidate completed just 17 of his 42 passes for 185 yards, two interceptions and no touchdowns.

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

Such a performance on defense is far easier said than done, but it requires a simple task the Bucs must execute with consistency: getting pressure with just the front four.

The Bills only sacked Rodgers once last week, but they kept constant pressure in his face, keeping him from finding his usual level of comfort in the pocket. That one sack also came at the most crucial moment of the game, as Mario Williams stripped Rodgers to force a safety, sealing the victory in the final minutes.

Tampa Bay’s attempts to get after Rodgers this week will be hampered considerably by the absence of two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who was placed on injured reserve after suffering knee injuries in each of the last two games. The Bucs will have to rely on waiver-wire wonder Jacquies Smith to continue his hot streak, and they’ll need big-money free-agent signing Michael Johnson to step up and provide pressure off the edge opposite Smith.

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

Equally important will be the ability of Tampa Bay’s corners to get their hands on Green Bay’s stellar receivers, redirecting their routes and disrupting their timing with Rodgers. The Bucs are well known for running plenty of Cover 2, which often calls for the corners to jam the receivers as they come off the line of scrimmage, impacting their release and funneling them into traffic in the back seven.

Tampa Bay has defended the run better than the pass this season, and keeping Eddie Lacy from wearing down the front seven will be key. However, the Bills proved last week that even if Lacy is successful—the second-year pro rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown on just 15 carries—the Packers can be beaten if the passing game is shut down.

*All stats courtesy of NFL.com

Luke Easterling is a Featured Columnist covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and NFL Draft for Bleacher Report. He is also the Editor of The Draft Report. Follow him on Twitter @LukeEasterling.