TAMPA, Fla. (AP) The Tampa Bay Buccaneers saluted their past, then rookie Josh Freeman gave the struggling franchise hope for the future.
Freeman passed for 205 yards and three touchdowns Sunday, including a 7-yard throw to Sammie Stroughter on fourth-and-4, leading the previously winless Bucs to a 38-28 victory over the Green Bay Packers.
In his first pro start, the 17th pick in the draft out of Kansas State completed 14 of 31 passes with just one interception. A critical second pick was wiped out by a Green Bay penalty during the go-ahead drive.
The Bucs (1-7) are the last team in the NFL to win this season. It was also the first victory for the league's youngest head coach, Raheem Morris, who replaced Jon Gruden after Tampa Bay went 0-4 in December and missed the playoffs last year.
Aaron Rodgers threw for 266 yards and two touchdowns for the Packers (4-4). He also threw three interceptions and had one returned for a TD that put the game out of reach in the final minute.
Rodgers was also sacked six times, hiking Green Bay's NFL-worst total to 37 takedowns in eight games.
The Bucs wore throwback creamsicle uniforms and made Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon the first inductee into the Ring of Honor at Raymond James Stadium. They trailed 21-17 during the halftime ceremony, but Freeman refused to let them lose.
The rookie threw second-half TD passes to Kellen Winslow and Stroughter, a seventh-round draft pick who was wide open in the right corner of the end zone with 4:14 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Freeman's 2-point conversion pass to Michael Clayton put the Bucs up 31-28. The defense, which had all of its sacks after halftime, ensured victory when Tanard Jackson picked off Rodgers and - instead of going to the ground - weaved 35 yards through the Packers to a clinching TD with 35 seconds left.
This was an embarassment for GB and all of its fans. I have backed McCarthy but last week they came out so flat I said he needs to be fired after this season.. today certainly didn't help change my mind.
He can't call plays, commit to the run, have good special teams... enough is enough. Get rid of this guy. I'll take any one of Holmgren, Cowher, Billick, Gruden or Dungy.
I'll give Thompson another year or two, but he needs to get this offensive line in order.
Today is a low for all Green Bay Packers fans..
I hate Favre, I can't believe he did this to us... it's his fault we lost!
We were so amazing in preseason against vanilla defenses, I don't understand why we're not winning every game by 40 points now. 6-10 last year was supposed to be unlucky, not a trend.
Rodgers for MVP... New nickname- "binman"... he takes the sacks.
I hate Favre, I can't believe he did this to us... it's his fault we lost!
We were so amazing in preseason against vanilla defenses, I don't understand why we're not winning every game by 40 points now. 6-10 last year was supposed to be unlucky, not a trend.
Rodgers for MVP... New nickname- "binman"... he takes the sacks.
Wow. What a poor performance ! This team can't execute fundamentals and plays with no emotion. This has to land on the coaches doorstep. I've felt last year was bad luck. However there is little change this year. Time to bring a new head coach and GM. Pack is going no where with this group
This loss could not have happened to a more arrogant bunch of fans and Packer management and coaches. Way to go Bucs' - thanks for shutting those classless Green Bay fans up. Oh and your boy Rogers looked scared and like a quitter at the end. Favre is laughing harder than ever.
Special teams cost the Pack the game today. The blocked punt and the kickoff return kept the Bucs alive and gave them momentum in the 4th quarter.
I was actually satisfied with the running game today and congrats to Ahman Green the new all-time rusher for the Pack.
We'll see the if the Pack shows up next Sunday vs. Dallas.
I have to hope trading Favre doesn't bring the "Curse of the Bambino" like the Red Sox got for trading Ruth the the Yankees. That said, can't blame Thompson for moving on from a QB that had played sloppy unprepared football, especially late in the season, for nearly a decade. The sad thing is that Favre and McCarthy were good for each other, with Favre playing his best ball in nearly a decade.
At this point, Thompson has a quality QB in Rodgers, about 8-10 other decent players, and little else beyond that. Five years to build underachieving offensive and defensive lines is enough. Fire Thompson and bring in another GM. Let the new GM decide on McCarthy. If fairness to McCarthy, getting handed the youngest team in the NFL four years in row has to make it hard to build a poised team that does not make so many mistakes. That said, McCarthy is also at risk of losing this team.
A brutal, yet unsurprising, loss. I wrote Mike Lombardi a lengthy e-mail last week explaining that the problem with GB and sacks is not the personnel - it's the play calling. On what planet do you keep trying to throw the ball deep in 20+mph winds while ignoring a running game that is highly productive? GB went deep early hitting once and burying their defense the second time - they turned to the run and went balanced the rest of the half allowing zero sacks and giving themselves a chance to dominate. In the second half, it was back to the long ball while playing with the lead - a deflection pick on a deep ball, a pick six off a deep ball, and six sacks later...
Where are all the Thompson cultist now? Defend this garbage he has put on the field? This game and season thus far is a f***ing disgrace. A ROOKIE qb beat a so called " top ten defense" in his pro start. The train(season) has left the station. Please put Tightwad and Pig Mac on that train also. FIRE TIGHTWAD AND PIG MAC NOW! NUFF SAID
Thompson wasn't playing, but he bear responsibility for the OL problems. In his favor, he got Tauscher back, but sitil overestimated talent this summer. The musical chairs, flat play, poor execution is on McCarthy and Campen. Special teams? We lost four of our best in terms of excuses. But that doesn't cut it. The lose directly pinned to STs.
What the hell is going on out there?
Making in game adjustments to the game being played is one mark of a good coach. The Pack should have run the ball 40 times yesterday even though that wasn't planned. Mac has become very inflexible and his teams continually show up flat.
Oh give me a break Packer fans! All this we are so embarrassed, oh this is the lowest point, whaaa whaaa, cry me a river. I was at the game and I tell you Green Bay didn't impress me in the least. ANY of the NFC East teams, other than Washington would CRUSH YOU. So stop the whining, your a 500 team, live with it and grow a pair.
Making in game adjustments to the game being played is one mark of a good coach. The Pack should have run the ball 40 times yesterday even though that wasn't planned. Mac has become very inflexible and his teams continually show up flat.
“If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, it must be a duck.” Right now Green Bay is a very sorry looking football organization.
I hear the Packer train a comin'
It's rollin' 'round the bend,
And I ain't seen the sunshine,
Since, I don't know when,
I'm stuck in John James Stadium
And time keeps draggin' on,
But that train keeps a-rollin',
On down to 4 and 12.
Christmas card to Mark Murphy..........hire either Jon Gruden or Tony Dungy now!
Thompson wasn't playing, but he bear responsibility for the OL problems. In his favor, he got Tauscher back, but sitil overestimated talent this summer. The musical chairs, flat play, poor execution is on McCarthy and Campen. Special teams? We lost four of our best in terms of excuses. But that doesn't cut it. The lose directly pinned to STs.
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Nov 08, 2009
05:34 PM
I have had enough of McCarthy and TT after this one... Fire both of those dogs.