Packers need to play a game of “Takeaway”
By GERY WOELFEL
Last season, one of the major reasons the Chicago Bears enjoyed surprising success was the stellar play of their defense.
More specifically, the Bears excelled at taking the ball away. In their 17 regular-season games, the Bears impressively registered 33 takeaways. That was a league high.
The Packers’ defense, on the other hand, wasn’t so opportunistic. The Packers recorded a mere 14 takeaways in 17 games. Only Dallas, Washington and the New York Jets had fewer takeaways.
And this season?
While the Packers and Bears have only played three games, the script is already similar to last season. The Bears are again thriving on takeaways and the Packers aren’t.
The Bears, who are 2-1, have chalked up six takeways, the fourth best in the league. The Packers, who are 1-2, have just two takeaways, with only Indianapolis and Philadelphia having fewer in the 32-team league.
The Packers will have a golden opportunity to improve their takeaway numbers Sunday afternoon. They play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa.
The Buccaneers are off to an even more miserable start than the Packers. They have failed to win any of their three games. And they figure to lose their fourth game as well against the Packers.
That’s because the Buccaneers will be without their standout quarterback Baker Mayfield, who suffered a dislocated thumb in the fourth quarter of last Sunday’s game against Minnesota.
It means the Buccaneers will be counting on Jalon Daniels to fill Mayfield’s big shoes and that’s asking a lot. Daniels was passed over the 2026 draft and played at a sub-par level after replacing Mayfield against the Vikings.
Daniels threw a mere three passes and didn’t complete one. One of his passes was intercepted.
Rest assured, first-year Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon will bringing the heat early and often to rattle the young, inexperienced quarterback.
The expectations are Daniels will force some passes and throw a bunch of errant passes. The Packers’ secondary should be licking their chops.
Of course, the Packers have faced backup quarterbacks already this season, and they have picked off just two enemy passes: one by cornerback Keisean Nixon and one by safety Xavier McKinney.
McKinney has virtually been AWOL when it comes to takeaways after his sensational first-season with the Packers in 2024. That’s when he had snared eight interceptions. He has picked off only three passes in his last 19 games.
McKinney and his secondary colleagues need to put on their playmaker hats today and, if they do, the Packers should take away a victory.
WHAT THE ODDSMAKERS ARE SAYING: Packers are favored by 3 points.
WHAT’S GW SAYING: Packers 27, Buccaneers 20.
