New quarterback, same problems as Buccaneers lose to Packers to fall to 0-4

John Romano, Tampa Bay Times on Oct 4, 2026

Published in Football

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TAMPA, Fla. — So, the kid was alright at quarterback. The defense was vastly improved.

And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers still lost.

Tampa Bay failed to capitalize on opportunities in the fourth quarter and lost 17-14 to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon to drop to 0-4 for the first time since 2013.

Rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels did not put a lot of points on the board, but the undrafted free agent from Kansas showed a strong arm, some nifty running skills and more poise than you might expect from a 23-year-old in his first NFL start.

Unfortunately, none of that was reflected in his numbers. Daniels finished 19 of 27 for 148 yards with two interceptions and one touchdown. He also rushed for 55 yards.

If there is one thing Tampa Bay has done consistently well, it’s finding new and annoying ways to lose.

The Bucs were virtually even with the Packers in total yards and time of possession, and both teams had two turnovers. The Bucs also avoided the damaging penalties that plagued them in recent weeks. But they failed to make enough splash plays on offense and were too inconsistent on third down to keep drives alive.

Game ball

Well hello, Sean Tucker. Nice to see you again. The Bucs running back had not touched the ball this season. In fact, he had only one snap on offense through the first three games. But with the Bucs in the red zone in the second quarter, Tucker picked up a key fourth-and-1 conversion and then, two plays later, carried it in for a touchdown.

Play(s) of the game

The offense got two chances for game-winning drives in the fourth quarter because the defense came up with critical turnovers. Tykee Smith forced a fumble near the goal line that was recovered by Zyon McCollum with 9:06 remaining. The offense failed to take advantage of the takeaway but got another chance when Jacob Parrish intercepted Jordan Love with 4:18 left. Once again, the offense came up short.

Keep an eye on

Once again, the defense had trouble containing tight ends. Between them, Tucker Kraft, Jonnu Smith and Mark Redman had nine receptions for 90 yards. This has been a long-running problem in Tampa Bay, which means the issue might be traced to scheme or game-plan shortcomings. The situation may get even worse with safety Antoine Winfield Jr. leaving Sunday’s game with an abdomen/rib injury.

NFC South update

So the Bucs aren’t letting go of last place in the division without a fight. With the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints playing against each other on “Monday Night Football,” the Bucs could have at least been guaranteed a third-place tie if they had beaten the Packers. Instead, they remain winless and behind three teams, none of which has a winning record.

Up next

Short week with the Bucs headed to Dallas for a Thursday night game. The Cowboys came from behind for a late win against Houston on Sunday.

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