Why didn’t Kevin Zeitler play vs. Bucs? What happened on Jordan Love’s INT?

The Green Bay Packers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. Veteran guard Kevin Zeitler was inactive and didn’t play after just arriving in Green Bay this week, and the Packers were able to overcome two late turnovers, including a Jordan Love interception deep into the fourth quarter, to survive with a 17-14 win.

Why didn’t Zeitler play? And what happened on Love’s interception?

Answering the two questions coming out of Sunday’s win in Tampa:

From Matt LaFleur: “The guy just got here this week. I think it was unfair to him. We have to ramp him up, give him a ramp up period. It was our decision. We just have to get him acclimated with what we’re doing. I think it would have been pretty unfair to put him in these conditions with only three practices under his belt.”

LaFleur wouldn’t commit to Zeitler being ready to play next week and said they are taking the process “day by day.”

Zeitler has over 200 career starts at right guard, but he hasn’t played any football since January of last year, and he missed all of the offseason and training camp while recovering from surgery to fix a leg injury suffered in last year’s regular season finale with the Tennessee Titans. Zeitler practiced with the Packers this week, but the team felt he wasn’t ready to go out and play a regular season game in hot and humid conditions in Tampa. Travis Glover started at right guard. Zeitler should get three more practices this week as the Packers prep for a visit from the Chicago Bears.

From Love: “I was late on the read. Running four verts, corner did a good job overlapping and made a play right there. Throw I definitely want back. Can’t make a mistake in that area. I can’t turn the ball over there in that situation…good play by the DB.”

Love’s interception came on 1st-and-15 with 4:23 to go and the Packers in prime position to put the game away. Love said the Packers ran a four verticals concept, which was an attacking playcall against what appeared to be a Cover-3 coverage. But Bucs cornerback Jacob Parrish (who was responsible for the outer third coverage to Love’s left) peeled off coverage against Jonnu Smith on the outside, undercut Love’s throw to Matthew Golden up the seam and made a terrific play.

Love said it was a late read, and he did hitch slightly at the top of his drop. The slight delay likely gave Parrish enough time to read Love’s eyes and overlap the route inside.

Love’s interception and Kaleb Johnson’s fumble inside the 5-yard line were the only reasons why the Bucs were still in the game late.

“That was the disappointing part of the game,” Love said of the two turnovers in the fourth quarter.

Finishing remains an elusive target for the Packers.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Why didn’t Kevin Zeitler play vs. Bucs? What happened on Jordan Love’s INT?