The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Green Bay Packers without starting quarterback Baker Mayfield on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. Mayfield will miss at least three weeks after dislocating the thumb on his throwing hand in Tampa Bay’s Week 3 loss to Minnesota, leaving undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels to make his first NFL start.
Tampa Bay enters the Week 4 matchup at 0-3, while Green Bay arrives at 1-2. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Oct. 4, at Raymond James Stadium. The game places immediate pressure on coach Todd Bowles, offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and a young quarterback who now must lead the Bucs against an experienced Packers defense.
Baker Mayfield Injury Changes Tampa Bay’s Season
Mayfield suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter of Tampa Bay’s 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He dislocated his right thumb on a fourth-and-1 play when Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman hit him as he released a pass that Andrew Van Ginkel intercepted.nfl+1
An MRI confirmed that Mayfield did not suffer a fracture, ligament damage or a tendon tear. That news spared the quarterback from surgery and an injured reserve stay, but Bowles confirmed Mayfield will miss a minimum of three weeks. Mayfield’s streak of 57 consecutive starts for Tampa Bay will end Sunday.
Mayfield did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. The Bucs must now navigate an important early-season stretch without the player who has started every regular-season game at quarterback for the franchise since Tom Brady’s final season in 2022.
Jalon Daniels Gets the Biggest Opportunity of His Career
Daniels will make his first NFL start after earning the backup job during training camp and the preseason. The Kansas product joined Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent, impressed the coaching staff and beat out veteran Jake Browning for the No. 2 role behind Mayfield.
The rookie played briefly against Minnesota, finishing 0-for-3 with the game-ending interception after taking over on the final drive. That difficult introduction does not change Tampa Bay’s plan. Daniels now receives a full week of practice reps with the first-team offense and an opportunity to show the poise that caught the coaching staff’s attention during the summer
Mayfield’s message to Daniels has been simple: stay composed and play his own game. Bowles delivered a similar message to the entire roster, saying Daniels cannot carry the outcome alone. Tampa Bay must coach better, block better, run better, defend better and support its new starter across all three phases.
Bucs Must Lean on the Running Game
Tampa Bay needs to simplify the game for Daniels. The Bucs should lean on the ground game, use play-action, create quick throws and avoid placing an undrafted rookie in repeated obvious passing situations.
That approach aligns with Green Bay’s early-season defensive profile. The Packers have allowed the NFL’s third-most rushing yards and six touchdowns to running backs through three games, creating an opportunity for Tampa Bay’s backs to establish tempo and take pressure off the rookie quarterback.
The Bucs also need healthier support around Daniels. Receiver Chris Godwin Jr. missed practice Wednesday and Thursday with an ankle injury, while pass rushers Yaya Diaby and Rueben Bain Jr., linebacker SirVocea Dennis, tight end Ko Kieft, defensive lineman Rakeem Nuñez-Roches and cornerback Jacob Parrish all appeared on the injury report during the week.
Packers Present a Major Test
Green Bay brings quarterback Jordan Love into Tampa, giving the Packers a proven starter against a Bucs defense that must create turnovers and pressure without some of its key front-seven players.
For Tampa Bay, the formula is clear. Protect Daniels, run the football, win field position and make Love work against a disciplined secondary. The Bucs cannot afford another slow start, especially with an 0-4 record looming and Mayfield unavailable for at least the next several games.
Daniels does not need to become Mayfield on Sunday. He needs to protect the football, make the right decisions and give Tampa Bay a chance to play meaningful football in the fourth quarter. If the Bucs can deliver that kind of complete-team performance, they can turn a difficult injury situation into the season’s first breakthrough win.
