Another close loss drops the Bucs to 0-4. Packers hold on for a 17-14 win

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been one touchdown short in all four losses this season.

“I mean, we didn't get it done,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said after Sunday’s 17-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers. “You know, we've been here a couple weeks now at the end of ball games and we're not finishing. We got to find a way to finish the game.”

The Bucs are 0-4 for the first time since 2013. They were within a touchdown of opponents in each contest. Going back to 2025, the Bucs have played 10 straight one-possession games – the longest such streak in the NFL – and won only twice.

“We got to find out the close games because all of them are one-score games and we got to finish," Bowles said."Everybody plays a part, and that starts with me.”

The Bucs are the only winless team in the National Conference, one of five in the NFL. Only the 1992 San Diego Chargers have overcome an 0-4 start to make the playoffs.

ALSO READ: Bucs QB Mayfield is expected to miss at least 3 weeks after dislocating right thumb

Bowles vowed the coaches and players will stick together and “figure this thing out.”

“I'm the head coach,” Bowles said. “I can do more. I can always do more. I'll always take the blame on that.”

Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love threw two touchdown passes, and the Packers (2-2) overcame two fourth-quarter turnovers to secure the win.

Meantime, undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels threw two interceptions that led to 10 Packers points in his first NFL start filling in for Baker Mayfield, who is expected to miss at least two more weeks because of a dislocated thumb.

Daniels eager to build on first NFL start

While Daniels’ day didn’t go the way he wanted, he did play well enough to bolster his team's confidence that he can be a capable backup moving forward.

“Obviously, not happy with the result,” Daniels said. “At this position, you want to do everything you can to go out there and win the football game. We came up short.”

Daniels completed 19 of 27 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown, plus the two interceptions. He faced pressure from a blitzing Packers defense most of the game, often using his feet to make plays and avoid losing yardage. He was sacked three times.

“We knew they were going to come after him,” Bowles said.

Daniels was Tampa Bay's second-leading rusher, scrambling for 55 yards on eight attempts.

He wasn't experienced enough to adjust the pass protection to give himself a better chance to make a play on fourth-and-11 in the final two minutes. Green Bay safety Evan Williams blitzed untouched to force an off-balance desperate pass that was nearly intercepted.

“I thought Jalon went out there and did awesome for his first start. He had a bunch of energy. He was flying around and making plays. It was good to see,” Tampa Bay offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs said. “He kept coming out there, kept balling, kept having confidence, kept having command in the huddle.”

Bowles said Daniels will make his second start this Thursday night at Dallas.

“For his first time out there, he didn’t panic,” Bowles said. “He used his legs well, at times. It was his first (start), he's going to have some ups and downs.”

Daniels, who spent six seasons at the University of Kansas, is the first rookie to start at quarterback in the NFL this season. He entered training camp No. 3 on the depth chart but outplayed veteran Jake Browning, who was released before the season.

Bucs can't benefit from Packers turnovers

The Packers wasted two opportunities to extend a three-point lead in the fourth quarter, but the Bucs couldn't capitalize.

Tykee Smith forced Kaleb Johnson to fumble inside the 5 with just over nine minutes left in the game. Zyon McCollum recovered at the 4 but the ensuing drive went nowhere.

The Packers then had a first-and-15 at the Bucs’ 26 when Jacob Parrish picked off Love's pass and gave Tampa Bay the ball at the 15 and a chance for a comeback win.

Instead, Daniels threw a short screen pass to Emeka Egbuka on third-and-16 to set up the unsuccessful fourth down from the Packers’ 47. Green Bay blitzed and safety Evan Williams came in untouched to force an off-balance desperate pass that was nearly intercepted.

“It's not entirely offensive line. I mean, sometimes [the defense has] an extra guy [rushing] and it's on the quarterback to get the ball out,” Bowles said. “It's on the receiver to make the right read and the hots [pass to an adjusted route] to be there.”

Bowles passed up a 65-yard field-goal attempt by Chase McLaughlin, who made one from that distance last year.

It was a “good 10, 15 yards too far for us,” Bowles said. “The wind was blowing that way as well. We thought about it, didn't feel good about it.”

The Tampa Bay defense continued to struggle getting a pass rush on opposing quarterbacks. Love had been under constant pressure this season, but on Sunday, Tampa Bay recorded no sacks and only two QB hits.

“[The] ball was coming out in less than 2.4 seconds, which he's very good at, the best starter in the league at getting the ball out,” Bowles said of Love, who was 22-for-30 for 197 yards. “So, we tried to concentrate on coverage. Even though guys were trying to rush the pass hard, that ball was coming out so fast.”

Rally comes up short

A crowd of 61,467 at Raymond James Stadium was filled with more than enough green and gold to provide a de facto home-field advantage for the Packers.

Love tossed a 2-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Golden on fourth down to give the Packers a 7-0 lead in the second quarter. Williams made a sliding interception near the sideline to give Green Bay the ball at the 32.

Love connected with Tucker Kraft for 10 yards on fourth-and-1 to keep the drive going. Kraft also took a direct snap and sneaked for a first down on another fourth-and-1 at the Bucs’ 10.

Tampa Bay’s Sean Tucker ran in from the 2 to tie it at 7. Daniels completed both of his passes for 27 yards combined on the drive and scrambled 9 yards before Tucker's score.

The Packers turned an interception by Edgerrin Cooper in the final minute of the first half into a field goal. Cooper stepped in front of Daniels' short pass to Kameron Johnson, caught the ball falling to the ground, got up and returned it 18 yards to the Bucs’ 44. Trey Smack kicked a 58-yarder to give Green Bay a 10-7 lead.

Love's 2-yard TD pass to Kraft on the opening drive of the third quarter extended the lead to 17-7.

ALSO READ: Bucs struggle in 23-17 setback to Vikings, fall to 0-3 and lose Mayfield to injury

Daniels connected with Kenneth Gainwell on a 10-yard TD pass to cut the deficit to 17-14 early in the fourth quarter.

“We aren't going to magically get a superhero in here,” Wirfs said. “We can't snap our fingers and be 4-0. We can't snap our fingers and be 2-2. We are 0-4. It's the guys in this locker room that are going to get us out of it.”

The prospect of turning the season around and making the playoffs was not on Bowles' mind.

“We're just trying to get a win against the Cowboys, then we'll go from there,” the coach said.

“It's on us. We know what the problem is. We can't keep getting close and not winning," Bowles added. “That's not good enough.”

WUSF's Rick Mayer contributed to this report.