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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Key Takeaways Against Green Bay

QB Jameis Winston returns from injury and the Bucs see their first 100+ yard rushing performance by RB Peyton Barber, despite injuries to the offensive line

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  1. Injuries felt on O-line despite improved run-block effort*

*Green Bay matched their franchise best of seven sacks in a single game on Sunday. With both Demar Dotson and Ali Marpet now on IR, center Joe Hawley was slated to step in for Marpet and had been practicing in the center spot all week. On Sunday the decision was made to keep Hawley out due to an illness, which moved guard Evan Smith to center. However, despite the day-of-game shuffling, the offensive line managed to block for 165 yards rushing and Tampa Bay's first 100+ yard rushing performance of the season by running back Peyton Barber.

2. Bucs' ground game steadily improving; accounted for 165 total yards on Sunday*

*Peyton Barber became the first player to rush for over 100 yards this season for Tampa Bay. After a two-touchdown performance in Atlanta during Week 12, Barber followed up with 102 yards on 23 carries in Green Bay, including a 19-yard long on a third-quarter drive that resulted in a Tampa Bay field goal, putting the Bucs within four points. Barber also added 41 receiving yards to his already-stellar rushing performance on the day, making himthe first player to lead the team in rushing and receiving yards since Bobby Rainey in 2014.

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A behind-the-scenes look at the Buccaneers' Week 13 matchup with the Packers.

  1. In his first game back from injury, the Jameis-Winston-to-Cameron-Brate connection is still very much intact*

*Tight end Cameron Brate caught two passes in Sunday's game at Lambeau, both for touchdowns. His first came on a 28-yard pass from Winston, which Brate hauled in with one hand. His second came on an 11-yard pass that put the Bucs ahead 20-17 late in the fourth quarter. Brate has six receiving touchdowns this season, which is tied for the fifth-most by a tight end in the NFL. His six touchdown catches are tied for fourth-most by a tight end in a single season in team history, as well. Since the start of last season, Brate has 14 touchdown receptions, which ranks second for an NFL tight end and is tied for seventh-most in the league overall during that time.

4. More penalties come at inopportune times *

*The Buccaneers were hit eight penalties for a total of 74 yards on Sunday. In a game where Tampa Bay's third-down efficiency rate was up to 56 percent, besting Green Bay's 41 percent, many penalties ended up stalling offensive drives. On the Bucs' last possession, with the opportunity for a game-winning drive inside two minutes, the Bucs were backed up to their own 10-yard line on an illegal block penalty. Winston was then sacked on second down for a loss of three and the Bucs came up empty, leading to overtime where the Packers would ultimately decide the game.

5. New faces are making plays*

*Defensive end Will Clarke is seeing more and more production. Clarke recorded his first career multi-sack game at Lambeau Field. It was the second multi-sack game for a Buccaneer after defensive Gerald McCoy registered two against the New York Jets in Week 10, where Clarke also registered a sack. The former-Bengal also managed to break up a pass during his efforts on Sunday.  His rise in sack-production comes at an opportune time as Tampa Bay's pass rush has been struggling this season. Also, rookie safety Justin Evans had another interception, marking his third of the season and second in three weeks. Evans also came up with a huge tackle of Packers' receiver Jordy Nelson on third-and-1 late in the fourth quarter to help force overtime.

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