TAMPA, Fla. — For most Floridians, the weather this week can be described as chilly or cool.
But if you head further up north – like, say, Wisconsin – the temperature over there is cold.
It's something the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to have to overcome if they want to remain in first place in the NFC South division and keep their playoff hopes alive.
This weekend, the Bucs will take on the Green Bay Packers at the iconic Lambeau Field, which is also nicknamed the "Frozen Tundra."
Head coach Todd Bowles knows the Packers are a good team historically and in recent seasons when they play in December, and there's a specific factor to it.
"I'm sure the weather plays a part in some of the things they do, they have a good football team," he said after the team's practice on Wednesday. "They're very well coached and they finish up ballgames in December and we're trying to finish up ballgames in December."
According to the Weather Channel, the forecast for Sunday's game in Green Bay shows the highest temperature will be 40 degrees while the lowest is 29 degrees. It's also expected to be a cloudy day.
That's a big drop off compared to if the game was to be played in Tampa, with the forecast on Sunday being 70 degrees for the warmest and 58 degrees for the lowest with a 75% chance of rain.
Tampa Bay is going to have to get accustomed to the weather quickly to avoid any sort of slow starts that can potentially cost the game.
Some good news for the team and fans is that in recent years, the Bucs have played well in games where the temperature was 40 degrees or lower.
Since 2002, Tampa Bay has played seven games with those weather circumstance and have gone 4-3. The outcomes of those games can be seen below.
2020 season
- NFC Conference Championship vs. Green Bay (29 degrees): 31-26 win
- Wild Card Round vs. Washington (40 degrees): 31-23 win
- Week 8 vs. the New York Giants (39 degrees): 25-23 win
2011 season
- Week 10 vs. Green Bay (32 degrees): 35-23 loss
2008 season
- Week 14 vs. Carolina (38 degrees): 38-23 loss
2005 season
- Week 15 vs. New England (38 degrees): 28-0 loss
2002 season
- Week 17 vs. Chicago (38 degrees): 15-0 win
Tampa Bay will look to add a win to this category, but they also have to face the challenge of taming a young Packers wide receiver group.
"They're route runners. These guys got size, speed and precision," Bowles said. "They have very good hands and they compete. At any point in time, any one of them can beat you. You might have not heard their name but if you watch them play, those guys can play."
As for quarterback Baker Mayfield, he knows the task at hand.
The 28-year-old has played against Green Bay twice in his career – once with Cleveland and another with the Los Angeles Rams. Those two games did not end in his favor as he lost to the Packers on both occasions, and he also said the weather played a factor.
"I've only played there in December and it's kind of a hit or miss on the weather of what you're going to get," Mayfield said. "Guys just got to be prepared for the grass, that's something that I learned pretty quickly. It's slick this late in the year and obviously not in the best condition. It's a little bit longer so you got to be ready for that."
This time around, the former No. 1 overall pick said playoff mode has already kicked in for the Bucs and he's not too worried about his previous encounter at Lambeau.
"It's playoff mentality. You got to win to continue on and get to where you want to go. Our only goal right now is to find a way to beat the Packers and Lambeau and go on from there."
Prediction
The Bucs' run game has improved greatly. In the past three games, the team has rushed for more than 100 yards. On top of that, Tampa Bay is figuring out how to get wide receiver Chris Godwin more involved in the passing game, and the Packers' defense is vulnerable to big plays. Score: 24-17 Tampa Bay
Kickoff for Tampa Bay's game against Green Bay is scheduled at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17. Fans can watch the game on 10 Tampa Bay.
Be sure to watch The Blitz at 8:30 a.m. every Sunday only on 10 Tampa Bay as Sports Director Evan Closky and Sports Anchor David Schiele give you full Bucs coverage leading up to each game.