Freeman leads Bucs to first win

TAMPA, Fla. —Wearing one of those ghastly creamsicle jerseys that are an ugly reminder of Tampa Bay's past, rookie Josh Freeman gave the struggling Buccaneers plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the future.

The third quarterback selected in this year's NFL draft — after playing three seasons at Kansas State — led the previously winless Bucs to a 38-28 victory over the Green Bay Packers in his first start Sunday, ending the league's longest losing streak at 11 games.

Playing with poise that belied his inexperience, Freeman passed for 205 yards and three touchdowns, including a 7-yard throw to Sammie Stroughter on fourth-and-4 for the go-ahead TD with under 5 minutes to play.

"I felt really relaxed," said Freeman, the 17th pick in the draft and the third quarterback taken behind Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez.

"I didn't get too high or two low," the 21-year-old said. "I can't say I did anything spectacular. I just played within myself, and when we had opportunities I took them."

Freeman became the youngest quarterback to open a game for the Bucs, who have had 10 different players start at the position since winning the Super Bowl seven seasons ago. He's the third this year.

"That's a great start to how we want to be, how we want to work, how we want to play," said the 33-year-old Morris, who has known Freeman since the rookie was a freshman at Kansas State and Morris was the defensive coordinator there.

Freeman completed 14 of 31 passes with just one interception. A critical second pick by Green Bay's A.J. Hawk was wiped out by an illegal contact penalty against Hawk during Tampa Bay's go-ahead drive.

Three plays later, Freeman threw 29 yards to Michael Clayton to set up his second TD pass of the day.

The Bucs (1-7) are the last team in the NFL to win this season, ending a skid that was the franchise's longest since 1976-77 when they dropped an NFL-record 26 in a row wearing the uniforms the team donned against the Packers.

GBTB

First downs2017

Total Net Yards404279

Rushes-yards32-17025-81

Passing234198

Punt Returns4-184-54

Kickoff Returns5-832-107

Interceptions Ret. 1-133-86

Comp-Att-Int17-35-314-31-1

Sacked-Yards Lost6-321-7

Punts7-35.37-42.3

Fumbles-Lost0-02-0

Penalties-Yards5-352-15

Time of Possession35:1724:43

Green Bay1470 7—28 Tampa Bay 710021—38

First Quarter

GB—J.Jones 74 pass from Rodgers (Crosby kick), 12:15.

TB—Ward 6 pass from Freeman (Barth kick), 8:45.

GB—Grant 2 run (Crosby kick), 2:39.

Second Quarter

TB—Barber 31 blocked punt return (Barth kick), 11:59.

GB—Driver 32 pass from Rodgers (Crosby kick), 7:38.

TB—FG Barth 38, :06.

Fourth Quarter

GB—Rodgers 12 run (Crosby kick), 12:54.

TB—Winslow 7 pass from Freeman (pass failed), 11:34.

TB—Stroughter 7 pass from Freeman (Clayton pass from Freeman), 4:14.

TB—Jackson 35 interception return (Barth kick), :35.

A—62,994.

Individual Statistics

Rushing—Green Bay, Grant 21-96, Green 6-45, Rodgers 3-26, Kuhn 1-3, Jackson 1-0. Tampa Bay, Williams 16-56, Freeman 4-20, Ward 4-5, Smith 1-0.

Passing—Green Bay, Rodgers 17-35-3-266. Tampa Bay, Freeman 14-31-1-205.

Receiving—Green Bay, Jennings 5-61, J.Jones 4-103, Driver 4-71, Green 1-10, Jackson 1-9, Kuhn 1-7, D.Lee 1-5. Tampa Bay, Winslow 4-57, Ward 3-54, Stovall 3-46, Stroughter 3-19, Clayton 1-29.

Missed Field Goals—Tampa Bay, Barth 45 (WR).