Packers QB Brett Favre takes on the Bucs' strong defense.

Buccaneers (2-2) at Packers (2-1)
8:20 p.m. ET, ESPN
Line: Packers by 6
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Why to watch:
This meeting of NFC Central contenders pits Brett Favre and the Packers' explosive offense against Warren Sapp and the Bucs' dominating defense. As if that weren't enough, former Packers great Reggie White will have his number retired in a halftime ceremony at Lambeau Field. Tampa Bay, which didn't have Sapp (broken hand) for last week's loss at Minnesota, will try to avoid consecutive road losses to divisional rivals. Green Bay, which is coming off its bye week, has earned both its victories on dramatic drives by Favre in the final seconds.

Who to watch:
Sapp hopes to return to the lineup, playing with a cast on his broken right hand. If the big Bucs DT plays, he will try to spend some time chatting with Favre in the Packers' backfield. The Green Bay QB had a week off to rest the thumb injury on his passing hand. Bucs QB Trent Dilfer comes off his best game of the season (25-for-39 for 301 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) and nearly pulled off a 21-point comeback at Minnesota. Bucs RB Mike Alstott will look to control the clock on the ground. Watch the screen pass to Bucs RB Warrick Dunn, who has caught 16 passes for 160 yards. Packers RB Dorsey Levens leads the team in rushing yards (280) and receptions (19). Packers WR Antonio Freeman has reached the end zone only once this season. Packers DEs Vaughn Booker and Keith McKenzie have combined for six sacks.

Bucs' numbers to know:
Tampa Bay's defense allowed three touchdowns in the first quarter last week at Minnesota after giving up only one TD in its first three games. The Bucs also failed to record a sack for the first time this season. Think this club missed Sapp?

Packers' numbers to know:
Including their victory in the NFC divisional playoffs in January 1998, the Packers have won their last 10 meetings with the Bucs in Wisconsin. Tampa Bay has not won a road game in this series since a 23-21 victory at Lambeau Field in 1989.

What it means:
All five teams in the NFC Central are either 2-1 or 2-2, so this game should start to break up the pack a little. Green Bay hopes to earn a convincing home victory before hitting the road for consecutive games at Denver and San Diego. Tampa Bay needs a win to help its confidence heading into its bye week. And in this division, every game against a divisional foe can become an important playoff tiebreaker at the end of the season.

Sean Salisbury's breakdown
Bucs' game plan:
The Tampa Bay offense needs to generate some big plays. Trent Dilfer has been very accurate with his passes the last two games. However, the Bucs need someone like Reidel Anthony to turn a hitch into a big play or score off a seam post route. They need something big, so they can believe they can make big plays. What they are doing offensively is playing defense. At times I wonder if their offense is playing not to lose. They need to challenge, threaten and push. They can't do that from 21 points down, like last week against the Vikings.

Anthony made a great touchdown catch last week, but the Bucs needed that earlier in the game instead of the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay wants to be conservative and not turn the ball over, but the Bucs have to get an offensive mentality. They should make the Packers play catch-up, not the reverse. The Bucs must get an explosion, and then hand the ball to Mike Alstott.

Defensively, they need to have Warren Sapp in the lineup. Tony Dungy is as good a game-plan coach as there is at making adjustments. The Bucs were down 21-0 to the Vikings after the first quarter, made some adjustments and shut them down for the rest of the game. And that was without Sapp.

The key is containing Brett Favre and keeping Dorsey Levens to less than 100 yards. How do you do that? They can start by mixing zone and man-to-man coverage. Dungy will set his defense, but make alterations depending on what the Packers do. I expect this to be a low-scoring game, which would favor Tampa Bay -- except that they are on the road. If the Bucs score three touchdowns, they will win the game.

Packers' game plan:
Levens is as versatile as any running back in the league. The Green Bay offense suffered last year without him in the lineup. The Packers can't keep putting themselves in a situation where they have to win in the last minute. The offense needs to get Levens the ball a lot and find a way to jump out early to take Tampa Bay out of the game. Make the Bucs play catch-up.

Green Bay needs to score early, because when Dungy is able to make adjustments, it will become tougher for the Packers as the game progresses. I expect the Packers to try to come out smoking, getting the ball to Levens and then challenging down the field to Antonio Freeman.

The Packers defense need to focus on stopping Alstott and Warrick Dunn and attack the weakness of Tampa Bay's offense, which is challenging the perimeter through the air. The Bucs will have to prove to the Packers that they can make big plays in their passing game. Until then, the Packers will crowd the line of scrimmage, try to get good penetration from Gilbert Brown and the defensive line and not let the Bucs pound on them with Alstott and Dunn.

Pivotal Players:
Dilfer and the Bucs receivers. Tampa Bay must get four to six plays of more than 25 yards. If Dilfer and company can do that before halftime, then I know the Bucs are coming out with the proper game plan. The Bucs need to make a statement early, especially at Lambeau Field.