TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers weren't going to be satisfied with just making the playoffs Sunday. It meant just as much to them to hurt Green Bay's chances in the crowded NFC race.

Bouncing back from the worst loss in franchise history, the Bucs closed in on their first division title in 18 years with a 29-10 victory that dealt a blow to the Packers' prospects with one game remaining.

	Tampa Bay's Mike Alstott gets hauled down by Green Bay's Bernardo Harris after one of his 19 carries. Alstott rushed for 79 yards.

"That's a ballclub we've been chasing for a very long time. It was kind of ironic that it came down to us burying them and us moving on," Pro Bowl defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "It's strange like that sometimes. We wanted to come out and finish them off."

The loss was the third straight for the Packers (7-8), who must beat Arizona next week and hope for losses by Dallas and Carolina to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time since 1992.

Brett Favre threw two interceptions and left the locker room without speaking to reporters. His teammates weren't in much of a mood to talk about what it'll take to salvage a disappointing year under coach Ray Rhodes.

"Everybody keeps talking about the playoffs," center Frank Winters said. "We've got to win a game first before we think that far."

Packers safety LeRoy Butler lashed out at Green Bay fans last week for what he perceived as a lack of support for Rhodes and the team. After the game, he questioned the toughness of some of his teammates.

"It just showed today. We're just not tough," the 10-year pro said. "Tough teams go to the playoffs. Teams that don't (have toughness), go home. We had some guys fight, some guys didn't. That's the only thing that disappoints me."

Tampa Bay (10-5) equaled a club record for regular-season victories and can win the NFC Central and a first-round playoff bye by winning at Chicago next week. The Bucs were assured a berth when Carolina lost to Pittsburgh, but needed to win to stay a game ahead of second-place Minnesota (9-6) in the division.

Rookie Shaun King completed 17 of 31 passes for 133 yards to improve to 3-1 as Tampa Bay's starting quarterback. He threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Warrick Dunn and led two other second-half drives that Mike Alstott finished with TD runs of 5 and 17 yards.

Tampa Bay's defense, embarrassed by yielding 262 yards on the ground in a 45-0 loss at Oakland last week, redeemed itself by forcing four turnovers and limiting the Packers to 12 yards on the ground.

"It's a sign of a good team to be able to bounce back after the debacle last week," Bucs defensive tackle Brad Culpepper said. "We played well, but I think they got away from it. I think Brett tried to take it on his shoulders ... It's hard to carry a team on your shoulders all season. I think that's what he's tried to do."

Favre was 25-of-48 for 248 yards and was intercepted twice by safety Damien Robinson, who also recovered a fumble to set up one on three field goals by Martin Gramatica in the first half.

The victory was the seventh in eight games for the Bucs, who were especially emotional because so much of Green Bay's success over the past seven years has come at the expense of Tampa Bay.

GAME NOTES

Besides getting his first two interceptions of the season and recovering a fumble, Tampa Bay's Damien Robinson also gained 17 yards after catching a second-quarter pass from punter Mark Royals. Brett Favre's TD pass was his 20th, giving him six consecutive seasons with at least that many more. Antonio Freeman joined James Lofton and Sterling Sharpe as the only Packers receivers with three straight 1,000-yard seasons.

Green Bay had won 13 of the previous 15 games between the division rivals, including seven of eight since Tony Dungy took over the Bucs in 1996. Favre threw a 20-yard TD pass to Dorsey Levens, but the Packers couldn't score again after going ahead 10-9 just before the half.

"Coming in here, I don't think there was a player or a coach, or anybody in the organization who didn't understand what was at stake," Rhodes said.

The Bucs forced two turnovers and Gramatica kicked field goals of 49, 28 and 33 yards to build a 9-0 lead.

But Favre scrambled for 3 yards on third-and-2 from his 37, then threw 27 yards to Corey Bradford to set up Ryan Longwell's 46-yard field goal.

Two plays later, Tyrone Williams' interception and 12-yard return gave Favre the field position to put the Packers ahead before the half. Levens capped a 55-yard drive, taking a screen pass and hurdling one tackler and skipping away from another for a 10-9 lead.

But that was it for the Packers.

Favre finished as his team's leading rusher with 8 yards on two attempts, while Levens carried 10 times for 4 yards.

Receivers Antonio Freeman and Charles Jordan, who could face charges of obstructing police officers after switching vehicles following an accident in which a woman was injured last week, both played for the Packers.

Freeman had five receptions for 72 yards, and Jordan returned five kickoffs and three punts.