Game 14

Bucs (6-7) at Packers (6-7) 

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

TV: CBS (WTSP-TV Channel 10 locally) with Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Matt Ryan and AJ Ross.

Streaming: YouTubeTV, Paramount+ and NFL+. (Geographic restrictions apply; subscription may be required).

Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network WXTB-FM 97.9 in the Tampa-St. Petersburg region (Transmisiones de radio en español en WTMP-FM 96.1 y WMGG-AM 1470 en Tampa). Additional stations throughout Florida on the Buccaneers Radio Network can be found here. The game also will be broadcast on SiriusXM Channels 138 or 383 (Buccaneers Radio Network feed).

Weather: It is not going to be pleasant weather in Green Bay today but it could be so much worse for mid-December. Some quick background: Joe few into Milwaukee and drove up to Green Bay on Friday. Typical overcast winter day in the upper Midwest. Friday night Joe went out for a burger and it was 39 degrees. Not comfortable but not terrible, either. Tolerable. Then on Saturday, it was a bit warmer than it was the previous evening, but there was a light rain. It was cold as hell. A raw day. The wet weather and wind made it feel 20 degrees colder. Today, per AccuWeather.com, wind and some rain may hang around. Temperature is expected to be 42 at kickoff with breezy winds. The winds are supposed to pick up throughout the game and there is a 40 percent chance of rain in the second half. Though the temperature shouldn’t be terrible, if today is anything like Saturday in Green Bay, Bucs players will think they’re playing in Antarctica.

Odds: Per BetMGM, as of midnight, Bucs +3.5 (+145); over/under 42.5.

Referees: Tra Blake and his gang will work today’s game. These guys are pass receiver’s best friends, per Sharp Football Analysis. Blake and his outfit lead the NFL in average per game calls for defensive pass interference (DPI). Additionally, of those flags, 60 percent come against the home team. … Blake’s posse has a record of the home teams winning 17 of 27 games.

Injuries: Bucs — Out: CB Carlton Davis (foot/ankle), DL Will Gholston (knee/ankle), S Ryan Neal (back). Questionable:  CB Jamel Dean (ankle/foot), WR Chris Godwin (knee), LS Zach Triner (elbow), ILB Devin White (foot). Packers — Questionable: WR Christian Watson (hamstring). Doubtful: CB Jaire Alexander (shoulder), RB A.J. Dillon (thumb),  RB Aaron Jones (thumb), S Darnell Savage (shoulder), CB Eric Stokes (hamstring), LB Quay Walker (shoulder), WR Dontayvion Wicks (ankle).

Outlook: Yes, the Bucs control their own destiny for a division title. The wild card is still in play but the Bucs don’t control their destiny. Beating the Packers will go a long way towards that goal. Both the Bucs and the Packers are in a jumbled mess for the final wild card spot. Beating the Packers would be huge. That would give the Bucs a tiebreaker over both the Vikings and the Packers. This is starting to smell like the Pittsburgh game last year. Green Bay is beat to hell in the secondary. With receivers like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, it would be an awesome chance for the Bucs to attack those mismatches. But the Bucs don’t believe in matchups. The Bucs will take the ball out of the hands of Evans and Godwin and try to slam the ball between the tackles on the Packers. The Packers are 20th in the league in run defense. And Joe can sort of understand if the Bucs want to pound the ball because the Bucs’ pass defense is wretched. Plus, save for last Monday night, it seems as if Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love has mostly turned the corner. It would be just like the Bucs to let Love have a solid day. Joe does not expect the Bucs to put the ball in the air much, though they should. It will be same ol’ Bucs. Letting superior talent rot on the vine while they desperately pretend they have Ricky Williams in the backfield.

Fun facts: QB Baker Mayfield has thrown multiple touchdown passes in six road games this season. No quarterback has more. … Rachaad White has six touchdowns (four rushing, two receiving) in his last six games. …  Lavonte David needs four tackles for loss to reach 100 for his career. … Safety Antoine Winfield has 13 sacks, second-most by a defensive back in his first four seasons since 1982.

Secured our second consecutive division W, and @rondebarber is here to break it down 🎦 pic.twitter.com/C3LEqTmyim

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 13, 2023