It was undisciplined and ugly and uninspiring. Hardly the words you want to read after a win. Fortunately, the Green Bay Packers came up against an undrafted rookie quarterback and a team that loves losing just as much as they do.
Matt LaFleur will probably say that he'll "never apologize for winning." And, well, he's right.
Was it convincing? Does it make us feel any better about the Packers' season-long ambitions? No. But a win is a win, and Green Bay found a way to get it done on the road and improve to 2-2.
Instant takeaways from the Packers' nervous win over Buccaneers
1. Packers survive, but they keep trying to find new ways to lose
Let's go back to two words we opened with: Undisciplined an ugly.
How about nine penalties? The Packers entered Week 4 with 32 penalties, the second-most in the NFL. They did nothing to change that this week. There's plenty of blame to go around, but this has been an ongoing issue for several years and is a direct reflection of the head coach.
How about two turnovers in the fourth quarter?
The Packers had multiple opportunities to put the game away in the final minutes but, quite literally, fumbled and threw them away. Kaleb Johnson fumbled at the Tampa Bay 3-yard line with a chance to close out the victory. Green Bay regained possession, only for Jordan Love to throw an interception with the ball at the Buccaneers' 26-yard line.
Fortunately for the Packers, they came up against an undrafted quarterback making their first NFL start.
2. Packers' injury woes deepen
The Packers can't catch a break with injuries. What's new? They've already lost Jayden Reed and Zach Bako-Bewele for the season, while Micah Parsons is likely at least another month away.
On Sunday, Green Bay lost star linebacker Edgerrin Cooper to an Achilles injury. It didn't look good. Cooper had made a big impact on the contest with an interception that set up a Trey Smack field goal before the half.
Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt and running back Chris Brooks suffered ankle injuries in the first half. Then rookie corner Brandon Cisse exited the game with a neck injury and was evaluated for a concussion.
When it rains, it pours.
3. The offensive line takes a big step forward
I know it's hard to believe, but it wasn't all doom and gloom. Green Bay's new-look offensive line held up throughout the game.
By PFF's initial count, the Buccaneers pressured Love only twice and didn't lay a glove on him. Anthony Belton, Travis Glover, and Laken Tomlinson allowed zero pressures. That'll work. Tomlinson made an immediate impact in the run game, receiving an excellent 74.5 run-blocking grade. He was moving Buccaneers defenders at the line.
And it should continue to improve once Kevin Zeitler joins them at right guard, potentially next week versus Chicago.
It's a step in the right direction.
4. It's time to bench MarShawn Lloyd
Yes, Kaleb Johnson had a costly fumble, but he needs to take the majority of the carries (with Chris Brooks, when healthy) over MarShawn Lloyd.
Lloyd looks so hesitant anytime he touches the ball. He stops, waits, and tries to make a defender miss instead of getting the ball and driving forward. Lloyd had another underwhelming performance, averaging a woeful 1.9 yards per carry on his seven attempts.
Johnson turned eight carries into 42 yards at a 5.3-yard average, and he even broke out a 31-yard run.
Lloyd couldn't blame the run-blocking on Sunday. He just wasn't good enough. The Packers need to lean on Johnson until Josh Jacobs returns.
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