The Green Bay Packers (4-0) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2) will do battle in an early-season NFC showdown at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Here’s how the staff at Packers Wire believes the Week 6 matchup with the Buccaneers will go down:

Zach Kruse (3-1): Packers 24, Buccaneers 23

This will be a terrific test for Matt LaFleur’s high-flying offense. The Buccaneers are physical and fast and capable of disrupting what the Packers do well. And is there reason to be concerned about a road game following the bye after what the Packers produced coming out of the bye last year (losses in San Francisco and Los Angeles)? Who knows. The guess here is that the Packers will have a few new wrinkles ready for the Bucs, expanding on a system that has worked brilliantly to start 2020, and Aaron Rodgers will make the big play or two late to close it out. The decorated veteran quarterback worth trusting in this game will be the visitor, but the defense must consistently pressure Tom Brady. The Packers get it done late to secure another signature road win.

Jack Wepfer (3-1): Packers 30, Buccaneers 27

I think the biggest factor here for the Packers is not, in fact, Tom Brady. It’s the Buc’s defense, specifically their two middle linebackers. LaVonte David is an annually-underrated star, and Devin White has the makings of a future playmaker. The thing that the Packers succeed with is misdirection; it’s why their offensive line is having a great year, which is helping Aaron Rodgers, the receivers and especially the running backs. With fast second-level defenders who do not need to come off the field, the Buccaneers can matchup better against Green Bay; moreover; their second-reaction speed may mitigate the gains from the Packers’ diverse scheme. That said, the Packers and Aaron Rodgers are cooking. Tampa Bay may have some players on defense, but you can’t put out a fire with a couple ice cubes. Packers win another and assert themselves as the favorite in a surprisingly lackluster NFC.

Marty Kauffman (4-0): Packers 34, Buccaneers 24

The bye week came at a good time for Green Bay to get some key players healthy and the week off will not halt this team’s momentum. Tampa Bay has playmakers on offense and defense that could pose many problems for Green Bay. However, Tampa Bay is one of the most undisciplined teams in the league and I see Green Bay’s offense continuing to dominate while the defense will force a turnover or two on an aging Tom Brady.

Anthony Nash (4-0): Packers 31, Buccaneers 27

The Bucs represent the toughest opponent that the Packers have faced so far this year. Not only is their defense incredibly talented, but the offense is stacked with incredible players as well. Unfortunately for them, Tampa Bay hasn’t been able to stay too healthy, which could be a huge factor here. Without many of its key weapons, Green Bay could zero in on Tampa, and with the offense still humming and Davante Adams likely back, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Packers come away with a win.

Nolan Stracke (4-0): Buccaneers 34, Packers 30

After the Saints, Tom Brady and the Bucs will be the toughest test of the season for this Packers team as a whole. Tampa Bay’s defense is particularly stingy while the offense is loaded with playmakers. This should be one of those games where the winner will be decided by whose defense can make the most stops because both of these offenses have what it takes to put up lots of points. I think the Bucs’ defense will bend less than Mike Pettine’s group, which could be the deciding factor in this matchup.

Joe Kipp (4-0): Packers 31, Buccaneers 27

Sunday’s game will provide a barometer for where this Packers offense truly stands. Green Bay averages the most points scored per game (38.0), but the Tampa Bay defense is allowing just 22.4 points per game (8th in NFL). The Buccaneers’ stout front seven will be a great matchup to watch against the Packers’ offensive line, especially in the run game. Tampa Bay allows just 2.7 yards per carry, best in the NFL. Conversely, Green Bay averages 5.1 yards per carry (tied for 4th). If the Packers can’t get Aaron Jones going on the ground, it could be up to Aaron Rodgers to make some magic happen in the pass game. Packers narrowly win to keep a perfect record through five games.

Grant Matheny (4-0): Packers 35, Buccaneers 24

At times, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers have looked pretty lackluster this season. And at this point, I don’t expect them to flip the script out of nowhere. Meanwhile, the Packers are playing up to their full potential. Plus, they will also get Davante Adams and Kenny Clark back this week. I think that Green Bay is just a better football team right now. Aaron Rodgers is playing some of the best football of his career. Aaron Jones is having another All-Pro caliber season. The defense has bent but not broken. I think Green Bay earns the victory to move to 5-0.

Brandon Carwile (0-0): Packers 24, Buccaneers 20

Sunday will be a great test to see how Green Bay stacks up against one of the more talented teams in the NFC. For as loaded as Tampa Bay is on offense, they are almost just as star-studded on defense. However, protecting Tom Brady has been an issue, and the Packers should be able to disrupt the future Hall of Fame quarterback. I predict four sacks and one interception against Brady. Offensively, Green Bay is going to have trouble running the football, but Aaron Rodgers will have Davante Adams back in the fold. They don’t quite score 30, but the Packers win thanks to a game-winning touchdown drive led by Rodgers with less than two minutes remaining.

Writer Prediction Score Record
Zach Kruse Win 24-23 3-1
Jack Wepfer Win 30-27 3-1
Marty Kauffman Win 34-24 4-0
Anthony Nash Win 31-27 4-0
Nolan Stracke Loss 34-30 4-0
Joe Kipp Win 31-27 4-0
Grant Matheny Win 35-24 4-0
Brandon Carwile Win 24-20 0-0