LET'S TALK FOOTBALL - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Since Tom Brady joined the team in 2020, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been a respectable playoff contender. There was a time where their short window would close, but Baker Mayfield completely revitalized his career and found a new home in the beautiful state of Florida. Yet, there is still a lot to prove. We know that the Bucs are going to be favored to win the NFC South. However, since Brady led them to the Super Bowl his first go-around, they have not been able to make it past the second round. They have the talent and coaching staff to go on a long run, so they have only themselves to blame for coming up short.

This is the third offensive coordinator that Mayfield will have in Tampa in three years. This is the first time that Josh Grizzard will be in charge of calling the plays, but the reason why I am going to give him a chance is because this is an experienced offense with a boatload of talent. Bucky Irving emerged as one of the best rookie running backs in the league and slowly became a focal point of the entire offense, with Rachaad White as a successful complement. They still have a walking thousand yard bucket in Mike Evans and they will be getting Chris Godwin back from injury, with an incredible amount of depth at the receiver position. Jalen McMillan shone in his first season with the team, especially down the stretch, and I think rookie Emeka Egbuka makes them more explosive. Cade Otton has been a reliable security blanket at tight end, and there are a couple of other guys that can make plays such as Payne Durham and Devin Culp. Even Sterling Shepard made some decent contributions to this football team! The offensive line can have its hits and misses, some of it due to the guys they have but other times because of Mayfield’s style of play, but it is not a liability. Although the play-caller has changed, the structure is still intact, so all they have to do to succeed is just hold onto the ball and remain efficient.

Since Todd Bowles has been in charge of the defense, which began in 2019, the results have been mixed. There are plenty of performances where they have been dominant in the trenches and prevented opponents from scoring more than twenty points, but a bunch of others where they looked vulnerable and out of place. One key facet that was definitely not a weakness was their pass rush, which totaled the seventh most sacks in the league. There are not too many household names, but a bunch of players that can put up solid numbers. Vita Vea is still one of the most dominant nose tackles in the league that can attack the quarterback just as well as he can shut down the run. He was half a sack shorter than the team’s leader Calijah Kancey, who is poised to break out in his third season if he can stay healthy. However, I do not believe that they are going to total forty-six sacks the way they did last year because they have a lot of guys that still have something to prove. Their former first round pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka departed in free agency and Anthony Nelson has been more of a rotational player than anything, so that is why they signed Haason Reddick to a prove-it contract. Their younger players YaYa Diaby and Logan Hall did not do too bad for themselves in 2024, but now they will have larger roles and will have to put up improved numbers for them to become true centerpieces to this core. Another thing that Tampa has consistently succeeded towards is stopping the run, which gave up the fourth fewest rush yards in the league. They still have future Hall of Fame linebacker Lavonte David playing at a high level, but now Chris Braswell and Markees Watts are going to have to step up their games to take the pressure off the old veteran. The only group that I see as a liability for the Buccaneers is their secondary. It allowed the fourth most pass yards and only totaled seven interceptions, with next to changes made in free agency or in the draft. But in their defense, one of the biggest reasons why they did not live up to expectations was because their All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. only played nine games last season, so let’s see if those numbers will improve now that he will be fully healthy.

As I said earlier, there is no question that the Buccaneers will be the champions of the NFC South, but that does not prove anything. First of all, it is a weak division, so there is no excuse as to why they should not be the ones on top. The second reason is that playoff football is ten times harder than the path you have to go through in the regular season. Right now, their ceiling is the second round and they can definitely be a dark horse candidate to reach the conference championship, but they are the fourth best team in the NFC right now. Tampa has to prove that they can compete for a Super Bowl by playing exceptional on both sides of the ball. If they have a great offense yet a porous defense, or vice versa, then there are going to be a lot of frustrating games to watch and there is going to come a time where things drastically fall apart at the worst possible time.

WEEK 1 @ ATLANTA FALCONS

Since 2021, the Buccaneers have gotten off to strong starts to begin the season, whether they are at home or on the road. This matchup against the Atlanta Falcons in Mercedes Benz Stadium will be an interesting one to watch. If you remember, Kirk Cousins torched the Tampa defense twice last season and won both games, so it is time to see how this season will play out with a new quarterback under center. Now that Michael Penix has the full keys to the Atlanta offense, one of two things is going to happen. Either he surges like Lamar Jackson did in his sophomore year and carries the team to relevance, or the flaws keep rearing their ugly heads as they walk into another mediocre season. As I said, this is a team that has plenty of talent to get over the hump. Bijan Robinson is easily one of the top five running backs in all of football and Drake London broke through in his third year with over 1200 receiving yards. However, for this offense to truly rise up the charts, they need Kyle Pitts to get back on the map. After his rookie season, he was expected to be a huge focal point of the offense. Then all of a sudden, his play diminished and he has been in a lot of trade rumors. At some point in time, the quarterback cannot be the scapegoat for this anymore, so it will be really interesting to see how Pitts performs in 2025. Let’s not forget that Darnell Mooney fell eight yards short of a thousand last season and Ray-Ray McCloud set career highs in targets, catches, and yards! I don’t have a lot of concerns for the offensive line, even with the loss of Chris Dalman, because it is a group with proven starters. The Falcons only gave up thirty-two sacks the year before and was considered one of the best run blocking lines in football, so it really comes down to the receivers getting open and Penix being smart with his decision making.

As for the defense, it was really the most disappointing in the league. There is a reason why they did not decide to bring Matthew Judon or Justin Simmons back after signing them to prove-it deals for one year. They also knew that they could not keep Grady Jarrett around much longer because after the extension he received in 2019, he never totaled more than six sacks in a season. The good news was that Atlanta had two first round picks and decided to boost the edge with those selections. They finally made a smart decision and took Jalon Walker with their first pick, but then stunned all of us by trading a future first for James Pearce Jr. That means that head coach Raheem Morris sees them as immediate impactful players to complement Arnold Ebiketie. The rest of their defensive line has proven veterans like Leonard Floyd and David Onyemata, but they are also not getting any younger, so a lot more weight is going to be given to the young guys. They finished with the second fewest sacks in the NFL, so even though that number will get higher this season, I do not see a drastic improvement. I never had an issue with the linebacking room. Kaden Elliss is an extremely versatile linebacker and I have hopes for JD Bertrand, so I think the signing of Divine Deablo can help this group instead of hurt them. But the one position group that I have never been fond of is the secondary. AJ Terrell and Jessie Bates might be All-Pro caliber players, but who do they have to help out? I like Dee Alford, but he had an up-and-down season as he struggled with coverage. Jordan Fuller is a guy that I liked when he was on the Rams, but he tailed off in Carolina and got cut after one year for a reason. Mike Hughes did not do too bad and Atlanta brought him back on a new contract, yet I am worried that last year might have been a blimp in the radar.

I am going to say this a lot because I do not think it has been said enough when it comes to the Buccaneers. The only way to win this game is to not screw up. They should have the better team on both sides of the ball, but the Falcons are not a team that you want to just hang around. We do not know how Michael Penix is going to look this year, but if he soars in the right direction, then Tampa better make a couple more plays to hang on for the win.

WEEK 2 @ HOUSTON TEXANS

The Bucs and Texans have played each other six times since 2003 and the latter has won five of them. Three of them were in Houston, so that means they are likely going to be the favorites on Monday Night Football. Last season was rough for a Texans franchise that was finally starting to get things back on track. Despite winning the AFC South and making it back to the playoffs, it felt like they were worse than last year, and now it is time for everybody to prove that it was just a fluke. That means CJ Stroud is going to have to break through that rough sophomore wall and return to the promising stud he was in his rookie season. This season will be a bigger challenge because not only is Stefon Diggs gone, but Tank Dell is expected to miss all of 2025 with that gruesome knee injury he suffered in December. However, I think both Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel are going to surprise a lot of people in their rookie seasons, which will take a lot of pressure off of Nico Collins and even newly signed Christian Kirk. Along with Joe Mixon and Dalton Schultz, it is still a talented offense that just let go of offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, so it is time for Nick Caley to right the ship. Yet, their offensive line still gives me pause for concern. They traded away Laremy Tunsil, released Shaq Mason, and traded away Kenyon Green. The new guys that the Texans signed include Cam Robinson, Trent Brown, and Ed Ingram. The only returning pieces are Juice Scruggs and Tytus Howard. I don’t know how, but it felt like their offensive line got worse. That says a lot, considering that CJ Stroud was the second most sacked quarterback in the league!

As for the Texans defense, the one thing that held them back from their potential was the lack of discipline. That falls on DeMeco Ryans because this was supposed to be the unit for him to turn around. They have the talent, but they need the chemistry and mental toughness to really go far in the playoffs. Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter did a tremendous job on the front four, they have a legitimate linebacker duo of Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o, but it is their secondary that I think makes this group even more dangerous. They have a transcendent number one corner in Derek Stingley Jr., a couple of rising studs in Calen Bullock and Kamari Lassiter, and Jalen Pitre is one of the more underrated safeties in all of football. They also just acquired CJ Gardner Johnson in a trade with Philadelphia, which means Jimmie Ward will not have to take a huge load of the work as one of the only veterans on the team.

When these teams met each other two years ago, it was a high-scoring affair that was won by the Texans because CJ Stroud threw five touchdown passes. Knowing that the Bucs defense did not improve or make notable changes since then, I can see a similar script taking place. I think the only way Tampa can pull off the upset is if they force Stroud to have a turnover-riddled performance and for Baker to have a performance for the ages.

WEEK 3 vs. NEW YORK JETS

I have to be honest, I had a hard time picking the winner of this matchup. On the surface, the Buccaneers are the better team and they should win easily. But I said the same thing last year when they played the Broncos at home in Week 3, only for them to get destroyed 26-7. However, I will give Tampa the benefit of the doubt in this one because the Jets are once again going through a rebuilding phase. With Aaron Glenn at head coach and Darren Mougey as the new general manager, New York is hoping that this tandem will finally be the one that will get this franchise back on the map. It might not be immediate, but if things continue to improve, then there is no doubt that the future is bright for this football team. The biggest X factor is their quarterback Justin Fields. It is nice to see the Jets not reach for a veteran or desperately draft somebody in the first round because a minimum deal for a fringe starter is not a bad option. We know what we are getting from Fields week to week: he will not completely embarrass himself, he will show you tremendous flashes with his legs and his arm, but he will not be a guy that will take you to a Super Bowl. Maybe new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand will unlock something that Fields’ previous coaches could not, but the biggest knock on the quarterback’s career is that he has never been able to maximize his potential. Fortunately, there are more than a few promising pieces around him that could scratch the surface. Breece Hall and Braelon Allen are a legitimate running back tandem that bring acceleration and power, Garrett Wilson is poised for a breakout year with a former Buckeye throwing him the ball, but the big question is figuring out who will step next in line. It could be Allen Lazard, it might be Malachi Corley. Heck, maybe rookies Arian Smith and Mason Taylor could leapfrog their way onto the depth chart. Their offensive line had an okay season last year, but maybe with Fields under center, they can improve their production. The Jets used their first round pick in the draft to select the best right tackle prospect Armond Membou to complement Olu Fashanu. They are banking on Joe Tippmann to solidify himself as the starting center, with John Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker to his left and right.

With Glenn taking over as the head coach, the hope is that the defense can have a better season than the up-and-down roller coaster they were on last season. That is what happens when Robert Saleh gets scapegoated in the middle of the season. Fortunately for Glenn, he has a hell of a group to work with. On the defensive line, Quinnen Williams has still proven to be one of the best defensive tackles in the league and they have an absolute stud in edge rusher Will McDonald that is coming off of a breakout season. With Jermaine Johnson coming back from a season ending injury, the hope is that this defensive line can regain the grit and tenacity that they lacked in the second half of the season. Their run defense was the team’s biggest weakness over the last few seasons, but Glenn is hoping to fix that with Jamien Sherwood and Quincy Williams. However, the group that was really disappointing last season was their secondary. Sauce Gardner is coming off an up-and-down year, Michael Carter II had injuries hold him back, and the team just lost DJ Reed and Ashtyn Davis in free agency. I do not like the signing of Brandon Stephens since he was considered the weak link in Baltimore, so it looks like some of their younger prospects will have to step up quickly. At least their safety group looks solidified with rookie Malachi Moore and rising stud Tony Adams. If Andre Cisco can bounce back from last year, it will be even better.

Another reason why I am going to roll along with the Bucs is because in the two times that Justin Fields has played at Raymond James Stadium, his numbers have not been promising, and I think Tampa can do the same thing for a third. I will not be surprised if this game is not a blowout, but they have more firepower to make sure they show up in the clutch and be the ones smiling when the clock hits zero.

WEEK 4 vs. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Even though the Eagles just won the Super Bowl last year, the Buccaneers have always been a good thorn in their side for a long time now. It is not a completely one-sided matchup between these two teams, but there have been a few seasons where Tampa pulled a few strings to make sure they were the ones on top. However, winning this year is not going to be an easy task. I won’t be like a bunch of national media pundits and say that Philadelphia is starting a dynasty, but they are the most feared team in the NFC. Jalen Hurts finally got the respect he deserved by winning a championship and the game’s MVP, because when Philadelphia’s best player Saquon Barkley was held in check, it was the quarterback that rose up to the moment and redeemed himself from two years ago. Thankfully, the offense from that season will be back. Saquon is still at the peak prime of his career, the Eagles have one of the best receiving duos featuring AJ Brown and Devonta Smith, but one of the best news of the offseason was that they found a way to keep tight end Dallas Goedert for the foreseeable future. The offensive line has four of its five starters returning, so this offense should still be dominant on paper. The last thing Philadelphia wants, however, is a repeat of what happened two years ago. They might have finished with a winning season and a playoff appearance, but they collapsed after a 10-1 start and got demolished in the Wild Card with two different coordinators than the ones they had in their first Super Bowl matchup against the Chiefs.

Thankfully, Vic Fangio will still be in charge of the defense, which means you should not experience a setback any time soon. Even though they lost a ton of pieces in the offseason, Philly is deciding to focus on its youth to keep their repeat chances alive. Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis will be the two key pieces to their defensive line, with assistance from Nolan Smith and perhaps Jalyx Hunt coming around the edge. In the second level, Zack Baun will be the quarterback of the unit as he is coming off of a breakout season, with the confidence that he will come out stronger this year. With help from Nakobe Dean and rookie Jihaad Campbell, I don’t expect that run defense to get worse. The secondary is where it gets really interesting because even though they are still young, both Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean formed into a lethal cornerback tandem. Reed Blankenship has evolved into a legitimate starting safety and Sydney Brown is hoping to reach that level, so there is depth in that group as well. I don’t think that defense will be as dominant as it was the year before, especially since there will be a lot more inexperienced guys being thrusted into starting positions, but then I remember what happened in 2023. When they lost to Kansas City, the Eagles had the best defense in football. One year later, they were one of the worst. It was the biggest reason why Philadelphia fell apart after such a strong start, so my fear is that it could happen again, especially since it will be a younger unit.

If this game were to take place in Philadelphia, then I do not know how much of a chance the Buccaneers would have, but they can make some noise now that they are in their home building. Both teams are going to be at full strength, so this game could honestly go either way, but I like Tampa’s chances of pulling off this upset.

WEEK 5 @ SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

It is always fun to see two former quarterbacks of the same draft class go head-to-head, so I think this game between the Bucs and Seahawks is going to be a very compelling one to watch. Many are hoping that last season for Sam Darnold was not just a “one year wonder” and that he does not revert back to his Jets form. Myself included. When I look at the supporting cast around him, it is not as great as it was when he was with the Vikings, but it is still manageable. The Seahawks have an underrated running back tandem of Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet, two guys that can punish defenders with physicality and acceleration on yards after contact. No more Tyler Lockett or DK Metcalf, but Jaxon Smith-Njigba has emerged as a number one option and he will have a promising right-hand man in Cooper Kupp. Hopefully, the former Super Bowl MVP can stay healthy because he has proven he can still play. You just need him on the field. Seattle also has an emerging tight end in AJ Barner, and there are a couple of depth guys in Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Jake Bobo that are hoping to have some role in this offense. However, the state of the offensive line always worries me, from the days of Russell Wilson. One red flag about Darnold’s play is that he tends to hold onto the ball too long, and you cannot have that in Seattle, because he is not going to have a clean pocket most days. They might have drafted Grey Zabel in the first round, but if Charles Cross is the only good lineman they have again, then this team is going to be extremely disappointing to watch.

The main strength of the Seattle Seahawks last year was their defense, despite the fact they missed the playoffs with a ten-win season. They have an incredible amount of playmakers on all three levels and Mike MacDonald did a great job of making sure that this unit cleaned up any issues that they might have had in the past. Leonard Williams is still an absolute beast of a pass rusher and there were plenty more guys that stepped up as well. Boye Mafe and Derick Hall had breakout seasons last year, and now that Demarcus Lawrence is coming on board, this is a defensive line that will have depth. In the linebacking corps, Ernest Jones will hopefully have a full season under his belt with the team, because he is an incredibly versatile player that any team would love to have. The safety has a plethora of name talent like Riq Woolen, Julian Love, Devon Witherspoon, and Coby Bryant. The hope is that if the offense finds some consistency, the defense will not suffer any setbacks. MacDonald is a hell of a coach, so I am truly hoping for the best.

Baker Mayfield has not lost to Sam Darnold in his career yet, and I think that the former has the better team around him to make sure that the winning streak continues. The only way I can see the script flip is if Darnold truly proves that he was worth the investment for the Seahawks.

WEEK 6 vs. SAN FRANCISCO 49ers

One unheralded rivalry that I always look back on is the one between Baker Mayfield and Nick Bosa. I remember when the former Heisman quarterback beat Ohio State in 2017 and planted the Oklahoma flag on the midfield logo. Since then, Bosa has had the upper hand in every single NFL matchup. Last year, the 49ers held on to beat the Bucs 20-17, despite Jake Moody missing three field goals. They did not end up making the playoffs, so they are trying to prove to everybody that it was just a fluke, like it was in 2020. There will be no more offseason drama now that Brock Purdy got his contract extension, so now that the offense is healthy, it is time to see what he can do. Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Trent Williams will be returning. Unfortunately, Deebo Samuel and Jaylon Moore will not. However, the 49ers still have an incredible amount of depth at wide receiver and the offensive line has been a stable unit for the most part. Deebo might be gone, but if Aiyuk cannot fully recover from the injury, then there is another trio that could pick up the slack: Jauan Jennings, Demarcus Robinson, and Ricky Pearsall. It might not sound totally inspiring, but with Shanahan as the play-caller, they will be effective and efficient.

At the start of the offseason, the 49ers saw many of their stars depart elsewhere. Javon Hargrave, Talanoa Hufanga, Dre Greenlaw, and Charvarius Ward were the most notable names to leave. The good news is that they still have two of their key cornerstones in Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. Not only that, but Robert Saleh is coming back as the defensive coordinator, so a familiar face will be more than welcomed back in the building. The 49ers made sure to give Bosa some extra help by drafting Mykel Williams in the first round, but I truly do not know if this team is going to be truly better than they were last year. With Greenlaw gone, you don’t know who is going to pair up with Warner on the second level. Deommodore Lenoir got himself a nice contract extension, but who is his right hand man? On the other hand, Hufanga’s void will be filled with the likes of Malik Mustapha and Ji’Ayir Brown, along with veterans Jason Pinnock and Richie Grant hoping to adapt to their new change of scenery.

Having said all of this, I think that this is the year that Mayfield finally gets a win against the 49ers. It is in his house, he has a more experienced offense to work with, and all their defense has to do is make sure that Brock Purdy does not get to be the one to decide the outcome. I expect this to be a tightly competitive grudge match, but I have faith that Tampa can overcome the obstacles that will be in front of them on Sunday.

WEEK 7 @ DETROIT LIONS

I am definitely excited for this Monday night matchup because after the Lions sent this team home in the playoffs a couple of years ago, the Bucs got some needed revenge in week two last season. There is no guaranteed winner in this matchup because both are going to be expected playoff contenders that will win their respective divisions. Detroit might have lost both of their coordinators, but as long as Dan Campbell is in charge, then they are the team to beat in the division. For all the flaws that Jared Goff might have as a quarterback, he has still been one of the best the organization ever had. The only worst case scenario is that he turns into a turnover machine again and causes them to slip out of the playoff race, but with the cast around him, it should not be an issue. Detroit still has a one-two punch at running back featuring Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Amon-Ra St. Brown is easily one of the top five receivers in the league and Campbell is hoping that Jameson Williams could emerge as a legitimate number two. Sam LaPorta is always one of the more reliable tight ends in the league and their offensive line is one of the best in the league. We know that this offense will keep Detroit in postseason contention, but what about the other side of the ball?

When the Lions defense was healthy, they were one of the more improved units in the league. But the more guys they lost, the worse it got. If Aidan Hutchinson can successfully bounce back from the gruesome knee injury he suffered against the Cowboys, not only is this group going to get back on track, but he will be in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year. The only issue is that there is not anybody else on the line that can generate consistent pressure. They have a few perennial run stuffers, but the only player that had more than a few sacks in 2024 was Za’Darius Smith, and he is still a free agent. At least the linebacking room is still deep with Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, and Malcolm Rodriguez. But without a pass rush, then that means the secondary is going to be put in a tough place. They lost Carlton Davis in free agency, but they still have a few key playmakers that will at least hold their end of the bargain. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are easily one of the best safety tandems in the league, they signed DJ Reed to complement the rising Terrion Arnold, and the additions of both Amik Robertson and Avonte Maddox should keep things stable. However, if this group is not healthy, then this season might turn out even worse than the last two.

In a highly competitive grudge match that will come down to the wire, I will give the Lions the benefit of having the home field advantage and pick them to barely win. This is definitely a winnable game for Tampa, so I will not be surprised if they end up hanging on, but it is going to come down to which quarterback can make the least amount of mistakes.

WEEK 8 @ NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Division rivalry games on the road are always the most unpredictable because one team might have one of the best records in the league, yet lose to a team with only three wins. Tampa got the upper hand over New Orleans twice last year, but it was not like either one of them were convincing blowouts. On paper, the Bucs should win this game handedly because New Orleans is not in the best state right now as an organization. I feel bad that this is the first head coaching job for Kellen Moore because on a team with no cap flexibility, an aging roster, and no plan at quarterback, this is the worst situation he could have asked for. Everything was put on halt when Derek Carr retired, so now there are three guys competing for the starting job: Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, and rookie Tyler Shough. I wish I could say that at least there are the Pelicans, but that team is on the verge of blowing it up. The only silver lining I have is that at least the Saints offense will be healthy. Alvin Kamara had a bounce back season with close to 1500 total yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns. Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed will more than likely be the two biggest targets for whichever quarterback throws them the ball, along with tight ends Juwan Johnson and Taysom Hill. Brandin Cooks is even coming back, so there is some nostalgia there. The offensive line is not completely horrible either and it got better with Kelvin Banks Jr. replacing Ryan Ramczyck at right tackle. The only issue is that once everybody got hurt, the entire offense plummeted, and it is one of the biggest reasons why the Saints had a dismal five win season.

As for the defense, how do I put this? They have zero depth and they are incredibly old. When you do look at the younger guys in this group, they are either inconsistent or inexperienced. They already lost their top two corners in Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo, their only two good pass rushers are Bryan Bresee and Carl Granderson, we don’t know what to expect from Chase Young, and Demario Davis can only do so much at thirty-six years old. At least they signed Justin Reid to reunite with his former Texans teammate Tyrann Mathieu, but with Brandon Staley as the defensive coordinator, my hopes are not that high for this group.

Having said this, I do not know if this is going to be a guaranteed sweep. The good news is that Tampa has won their last three matchups in the Superdome, so that should make them the likely favorites, but the Saints have a decent roster when they are fully healthy. If the Bucs can avoid self-inflicted and unforced mistakes, then they can avoid falling in the trap.

WEEK 9: BYE WEEK

WEEK 10 vs. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Normally, this would be the type of game that I would pick the Buccaneers to lose because Baker Mayfield has yet to beat the New England Patriots in his career, but the only two games he played against them were on the road. I think that now that he is at home with a stronger team than the one he had in Cleveland, he will finally get a chance to get his first win, but it will be difficult now that Mike Vrabel is the opposing head coach. The Jerod Mayo experiment failed, so a more proven and successful man will do his best to develop Drake Maye into the stud that he is supposed to transform into, and the cast around him is ten times better than whatever the heck he had last year. Rhamondre Stevenson had a rough season with fumble issues, which is why New England drafted Trayveon Henderson in the second round, but he is still a flexible back that can fight for yards after contact and bruise defenders with his physicality. They signed Stefon Diggs to be their new number one option, but I have been skeptical about the wide receiver room for the last five years now. It’s not only about the supporting role players, but the fact that Diggs is coming off a torn ACL and is not getting any younger. Fortunately, Hunter Henry is still around and has always been a reliable security blanket, but my biggest area of focus is the offensive line. New England did everything they could to overhaul that unit and managed to do that within a few months. They drafted left Will Campbell with the fourth overall pick, replaced the recently retired David Andrews with Garrett Bradbury, and signed Morgan Moses in free agency to be their right tackle. The only returning starters will be Cole Strange and Michael Onwenu, so their biggest priority is making sure Drake Maye does not get crushed on a weekly basis, or else this season is going to be a disaster.

Just like Bill Belichick did in 2021, Mike Vrabel retooled this defense into a respected juggernaut. They gave Milton Williams a huge contract to be their spearhead on the defensive line, brought in Harold Landry to fly off the edge, added Robert Spillane to be the new starting middle linebacker, and even signed Carlton Davis to complement a rising superstar in Christian Gonzalez. New England had to let go of a few remaining veterans to make these signings possible, but there is no doubt they will have one of the best defenses in football at the end. These signings are going to take the pressure off of guys like Keion White, Christian Barmore, Anfernee Jennings, Jahlani Tavai, and Kyle Dugger to do their best to keep a faded empire alive the year before.

The Patriots and humidity do not always mesh well together, so I think this is one of those types of matchups where the home field advantage will truly pay off in the end. Once again, it requires less self-inflicted mistakes and more promising opportunities to make sure that a victory is guaranteed.

WEEK 11 @ BUFFALO BILLS

The same can be said for this road matchup against the Bills, because even though it is the type of game that the Buccaneers should lose, I feel that they can actually win this game. However, there is a lot that needs to go right against the reigning MVP Josh Allen. If it were not for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, Allen might actually have at least one Super Bowl ring to wear, but that has been the only knock on his tenure with the Bills. The supporting cast around him is pretty good, but it is the quarterback that has lifted them to a higher tier. The only true star that they have is running back James Cook, but he is currently unhappy with his current contract, and there is a strong chance that he could hold out for a new one. On the other hand, I have faith that Ray Davis could elevate his game and Ty Johnson has served as a quality third down back. Their receiving room is not as average as it was last year. Keon Coleman has the potential to be a promising number one receiver, but we need to see more from him to truly believe it will happen. I have always liked Khalil Shakir in the slot, and I think both Josh Palmer and Elijah Moore could put up decent numbers as depth pieces. On paper, the Bills have a formidable tight end duo of Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox, but their numbers from last year do not indicate that. What masks this flaw is their offensive line, which gave up the fewest sacks in the league. As long as they have Josh Allen fully healthy, then this team is going to be favored to win the division and be a perennial championship contender.

Unfortunately, Sean McDermott’s defenses have not held his end of the bargain of trying to deliver a championship to the city of Buffalo. Their defensive line has household names like Greg Rousseau and Ed Oliver, but they were just okay last season. I don’t really know if bringing in Michael Hoecht or Joey Bosa is going to make them a whole lot better, but my guess is that Buffalo is banking on AJ Epenesa and Javon Solomon to take big leaps. I think one of the biggest reasons why the Bills defense has not been as feared over the last couple of seasons is because both Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard had to deal with long-term injuries, thus affecting their run defense and the strength of the entire unit as a whole. It is no wonder why this secondary is on its heels every day, but even they have their limits. It looks like Christian Benford will be their number one corner after receiving a long-term extension, but I need to see more from him to truly believe he has what it takes. They brought back Tre’Davious White and Dane Jackson, yet they are not the same players that they were in 2021. If you had to ask me who would start alongside Benford, it would be Cam Lewis and Taron Johnson, with Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp manning the safety positions. That will allow rookie Maxwell Hairston to sit back and learn, rather than be thrusted into the fire and rush his developmental process.

This is going to be a back-and-forth showdown between two of the top ten quarterbacks in the league and I think that whomever gets the ball last will win. It can really go either way, so I am not going to be surprised if Buffalo manages to pull it off at home, but I feel like Tampa is going to throw in a few wrinkles to make things just a little more interesting.

WEEK 12 @ LOS ANGELES RAMS

This is hard to believe but Baker Mayfield has not won a regular season game on a primetime stage since joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and this one is not a favorable one as the team will have to fly across the country to take on the Rams on Sunday Night Football. Just like Tampa, LA has always been a consistent playoff contender under Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford. Their offense has always been their bread and butter, regardless of the different pieces they had over the years. Kyren Williams is a touchdown machine just like a certain man named Todd Gurley. The Rams have one of the best young receivers in the league in Puka Nacua, and while the Cooper Kupp era unfortunately had to come to an end, it is not terrible getting Davante Adams as a consolation prize. I personally thought it was a bummer that Demarcus Robinson departed in free agency, but knowing Sean McVay, there are going to be at least a couple guys that will carve out bigger roles. My guesses are Jordan Whittington and Tutu Atwell. Unfortunately, Tyler Higbee is not the same tight end that he once was, but I think both Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen have a strong chance of stealing the starting spot at some point in the season. Their offensive line gave up the sixth fewest sacks in the league, so if you are a team that does not have a scary pass rush, then it might take a while before you actually get to the quarterback.

Their defense has a boatload of playmakers, but I still feel like there is a lot of room for improvement. Braden Fiske and Jared Verse made instant impacts in their rookie seasons, while Kobie Turner and Byron Young showed the young guys how it was done. Their biggest loss was letting Christian Rozeboom walk away in free agency because they do not really have anybody else that could replace him. Hopefully, the secondary could ease things for the time being. Derion Kendrick is coming back from injury and Darious Williams is back, but this group proved that there were plenty of guys that successfully adopted the “next man up” mentality. Kamren Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough thrived in the safety positions, while Ahkello Witherspoon and Cobie Durant might have found a new home. It is not the most explosive defense, but they are hungry for blood, a group that is not afraid to get nasty when things get difficult.

I think that at some point in time, that losing skid will come to an end at some point. This game can really go either way because this is at So-Fi Stadium on a nationally televised stage, but for Tampa to truly pull this off, they cannot make that one mistake that will screw everything up.

WEEK 13 vs. ARIZONA CARDINALS

Another historical fact that needs to be accounted for is that Baker Mayfield has not lost a game to Kyler Murray, his former backup at Oklahoma. Obviously, that is a winning streak that is going to eventually, but the Cardinals have a sneakily good team this year. Murray did not have a hard time bouncing back from his torn ACL and showed that this is still his team for the foreseeable future, James Conner is still a workhorse at running back, and Marvin Harrison Jr. established himself as the focal point of the passing game. Trey McBride rightfully earned a contract extension to make him the highest paid tight end in the NFL, but I am curious to see how Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch are going to perform in what should be make-or-break seasons for both receivers in the league. The fact that Arizona has one of the best offensive lines in football after being such a garbage heap a few seasons ago should indicate that this unit will be very efficient. The question is can they be consistent, because that has been the biggest con of Kyler Murray’s tenure in the NFL.

What I was really more impressed with was their defense with Jonathan Gannon leading the charge. I still feel their pass rush can get a lot better, but totaling forty-one sacks last year showed promising signs of improvement. It is why they drafted Walter Nolen with their first round pick and signed Josh Sweat to a long-term deal, giving players like Darius Robinson and Baron Browning chances to have improved in the 2025 campaigns. I am also expecting the run defense to get better because even though they have Zaven Collins, there is a reason why Arizona signed a proven veteran in Dalvin Tomlinson. The secondary is also an above average unit that at least made the effort of adding a potential number one corner by drafting Will Johnson in the second round, so that should take a lot of pressure off of Budda Baker’s shoulders. It is still a very young group, so I am anxious to see which guys are going to step up, especially as we approach the second half of the season.

Normally, the Cardinals tend to implode down the stretch of an NFL season, so it would not surprise me if Tampa takes care of business at home. However, there have been plenty of games over the years that the Bucs let winnable games slip through their hands, and they are also a team that waits until the last second to officially lock in a playoff spot.

WEEK 14 vs. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Yeah there is no way that I think the Saints are going to beat the Bucs twice this year. I definitely see this series ending in a split at best, and I can almost guarantee that Tampa will not make this a fun contest at home.

WEEK 15 vs. ATLANTA FALCONS

However, I can see the Bucs let a winnable home game against the Falcons fall right through their hands. Atlanta has had a successful track record against Baker Mayfield at home with quarterbacks like Desmond Ridder and Kirk Cousins leading the way. If those two can get the job done, then so should Michael Penix.

WEEK 16 @ CAROLINA PANTHERS

Remember what I said about the Bucs waiting until the last minute to clinch the NFC South? Do not be surprised if that gets prolonged after this matchup, especially with the way the Panthers played in the second half of the season last year. After seeing his career nearly get destroyed to begin the 2024 season, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completely rebounded down the stretch and is now a sign of optimism rather than the biggest liability. Head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan are hoping that he and the rest of this offense can pick up where they left off, because they showed more positive flashes than they did in the last five years. Chuba Hubbard emerged as one of the best running backs in the league and he will have a nice right hand man in Rico Dowdle to step in when needed. Adam Thielen is not getting any younger, but that is a reason why Carolina used their first round pick to draft Tet McMillian, who will join a receiving corps featuring Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker. They also have a rising tight end in Ja’Tavion Sanders that will be seeking more opportunities, along with an offensive line that only let up thirty-six sacks. I do not think they will be a top ten unit right away, but if Carolina continues to head into the right direction, then they can absolutely be one of the more efficient offenses in the league.

However, I think the true X factor of this team is their defense, which was a disaster last year. It ranked dead last in total yards, passing, and points. They had the fourth fewest sacks and totaled nine interceptions, with a lot of it attributed to guys like Derrick Brown and Shaq Thompson missing the entire season. Brown will be returning, along with highly touted cornerback Jaycee Horn, but I do not think that this unit got drastically better. I like Tershawn Wharton, Christian Rozeboom, Tre’von Moehrig, and Pat Jones II. I think those are highly respected players that will be beneficial to this group. Yet, are those three really going to move the needle? Their leading tackle Xavier Woods is gone, Josey Jewell was okay, and neither Jadeveon Clowney nor DJ Wonnum made a difference on the defensive line. We knew that defensive coordinator Ejero Evero was going to have his hands full, but I seriously cannot tell if this group will overachieve or not. As much as I want them to, this team does not have the right personnel to do that at the moment, unless their offense turns back the clock a decade and starts ripping everyone’s hearts out.

I think that we are going to get two completely different games in this series. The first will be held in Bank of America Stadium, so my guess is that this is going to come down to the wire, but I can see Bryce Young shocking a lot of people if he continues to progress in the right direction. Last year, they were a fumble away from potentially beating Tampa in overtime, so they know what it is going to take to be the spoiler this time around.

WEEK 17 @ MIAMI DOLPHINS

We all know the drill by now. The Bucs are in a must-win scenario against a highly inferior team and all they need to do is get the job done to clinch the division. These are the types of games that the Miami Dolphins do not do well with, to put it nicely. They are a team that should be a championship contender on paper, but their self-inflicted failures over the past few years make them look nothing more than a mediocre pretender. Tua Tagovailoa has proven to be a solid NFL quarterback, but his health has always been the biggest X factor for this football team, and the team plummets when he is not on the field. It should not be the case because this offense has a boatload of speed and talent. De’Von Achane has emerged as the starting running back and Jaylen Wright is hoping to break out in his sophomore season. The top two receiving options are Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, they just signed Nick Westbrook-Ikhine to give this offense more verticality, and Jonnu Smith surprised a lot of people with a productive 2024 season. The only real liability that this group has is their offensive line. Terron Armstead retired, the interior is a mess, and Austin Jackson is the only consistent veteran they have. Hopefully, their second round pick Jonah Savaiinaea turns into a solid player, but center Aaron Brewer and left tackle Larry Borom should not be full time starters at the most important positions on the front five.

The Dolphins better hope that they do not suffer any injuries with their offense, or else that defense is going to get eaten alive, especially since Jalen Ramsey might be traded before the season begins. It is a unit that has a likable coordinator in Anthony Weaver Jr. and promising young pieces like Chop Robinson, Tyrel Dodson, and rookie Kenneth Grant. Yet, I don’t see any depth whatsoever. Jevon Holland left in free agency, Kendall Fuller and Nik Needham were released, Jordan Poyer was not brought back, and Calais Campbell left to go back to Arizona for what might be his last season. Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips cannot stay healthy, Zach Sieler is nearing thirty years old at an extremely physical position, and Miami has nobody else in their secondary that has been a proven shutdown defender. Kader Kohou is probably the closest one, but he is mainly a nickel corner, so there is nobody on the outside I can think of that can step up in a big way.

If you were to ask me how this game is going to go, I would say that the Dolphins get off to a strong start, but then Tampa claws back into it in the second half and finishes them off down the stretch. To put the cherry on top, Mike Evans gets another thousand yard season on his Hall of Fame resume.

WEEK 18 vs. CAROLINA PANTHERS

When they meet in Raymond James Stadium two weeks later, I believe that the Bucs will turn this into a more lopsided victory. Just like last season, Tampa blew Carolina out of the water 48-14, and then clinched the NFC South one week later with a win over the Saints. I think that because this is the regular season finale, the Bucs would have already clinched the division, so we will see if Todd Bowles decides to play his starters or not. Either way, I think this will be a split series.

FINAL RECORD PREDICTION: 11-6