Packers Get Chance to Show They ‘Deserve to be on Same Field’ as Bucs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were talking tough after dominating Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in Week 6.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The war of words for Sunday’s NFC Championship Game between the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers started early.

Three months early, to be exact.

After the Buccaneers pummeled the Packers 38-10 on Oct. 18, star Bucs linebacker Devin White had this to say about the Packers:

“We knew those guys didn’t deserve to be on the field with us because we’ve got too much talent and fly around to the ball.”

Meanwhile, speaking at about the same time, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers took the loss in relative stride. He called it an “anomaly” and a much-needed wakeup call.

“I think we needed kind of a kick in the ass a little bit,” Rodgers said. “There’s a little bit of a wakeup to stop feeling ourselves so much and get back to the things that got us to this position. I think this would be, unfortunately but fortunately, something we can really grow from.”

To be sure, White was right. The Packers didn’t deserve to be on the same field against Tampa Bay in Week 6. Green Bay raced to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, then didn’t take a single snap on the Bucs’ side of the field the rest of the game.

Rodgers completed 45.7 percent of his passes – his only game of less than 60 percent en route to leading the NFL in completion percentage. His passer rating was just 35.4 – one of only two games of less than 107.0 en route to leading the league in that category, as well. In games that Rodgers has started but wasn’t knocked out due to injury, it was the third-lowest completion percentage and second-lowest passer rating of his remarkable career. He threw a unicorn-rare pick-six.

Sacked just 20 times all season, the Bucs dropped him five times. Aaron Jones, who finished third among running backs with a 5.49-yard average, gained just 15 yards on 10 tries against the Bucs.

“Their offensive line couldn’t pick up really none of our stunts,” White said.

However, Rodgers was right, as well. Green Bay led the NFL in scoring, tied the NFL record for most 30-point games and perhaps set the record for best red-zone efficiency. Green Bay has won seven straight, averaging 33.3 points per game during a stretch of games that included matchups against four playoff teams (Chicago, Tennessee, Chicago and the Rams).

The Buccaneers’ defense looked like the baddest defense on the planet against Green Bay and again in smothering the Saints 30-20 in Sunday’s divisional game. However, it was the Rams’ defense that was the baddest unit on the planet throughout the season. Green Bay dismantled that crew to the tune of 32 points and 484 yards on Saturday.

Afterward, Rams coach Sean McVay offered nothing but compliments toward the presumptive MVP.

“That guy [Rodgers] has such great command,” McVay said. “If you said you knew nothing about football, and you said, ‘What does it look like to feel like the game is in slow motion and you’re just so in command and under control?’ That’s what it looks like when you watch this guy play. And you don’t have to be anybody who really knows what’s going on. He’s in total command right now. He’s playing at an unbelievably high level.”

Can Rodgers be in total command against the Buccaneers? If so, Rodgers will be playing in his first Super Bowl in a decade. Or, as White said, is the Buccaneers’ defense simply too fast and too talented for the Packers to handle?

“I'm thankful for the opportunity to still be here and still be the guy,” Rodgers said, “and excited about what we can accomplish together.”