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BUCCANEERS vs. CARDINALS

WHEN: Sunday, November 30, 2025 | WHERE: Raymond James Stadium | KICKOFF: 1:00 p.m. ET | TV: FOX

PLAY-BY-PLAY: Kevin Kugler | ANALYST: Daryl Johnston | SIDELINE: Allison Williams

RADIO: 98 ROCK 97.9 FM | PLAY-BY-PLAY: Gene Deckerhoff | ANALYST: Dave Moore | SIDELINE: T.J. Rives

Game day is approaching, and it’s time for the Pewter Report staff to make its weekly game predictions and offer up our game preview of this week’s matchup. Let us know what you think in the article comments section and add your prediction, too.

Scott Reynolds: Bucs Win A Closer Than Expected Game vs. Cardinals

The Bucs are still banged up right now, but are getting healthier. Bucky Irving returns this week and quarterback Baker Mayfield is expected to start and play versus a 3-8 Cardinals team. Arizona has 18 players on injured reserve, including several starters. Among them are quarterback Kyler Murray, right tackle Jonah Williams, linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. and running backs James Conner and Trey Benson. Arizona is also expected to be without its backup right tackle Kelvin Meachem and defensive tackle Walter Nolen. There can be no excuses for a Bucs loss on Sunday.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield, RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: USA Today

Having said that, the Cardinals are a scrappy team. They’ve suffered a couple of blowout losses, but they’ve lost more close games than anything, including a 27-24 overtime loss to the Jaguars last week. I expect this game to be close as a result. Arizona has some good players on defense like safety Budda Baker, defensive tackle Calais Campbell and edge rusher Josh Sweat. We’ll see if Sweat plays, as he’s been dealing with an eye injury.

Regardless, the Bucs need to find a way to win this game. That starts with winning the turnover battle on Sunday. Tampa Bay’s defense needs to stop giving up big plays and start taking away the ball with regularity again. Offensively, the Bucs need to lean on the ground game to make life easier for Mayfield. Irving should be able to provide a spark and help in that direction – even with limited touches. I see this game going down to the fourth quarter with Chase McLaughlin winning it at the end to help Tampa Bay end its three-game losing streak.

REYNOLDS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 26, Cardinals 23
REYNOLDS’ SEASON RECORD: 8-3

Matt Matera: Returning Bucs Help Tampa Bay Get Important Win

It looks like Baker Mayfield is going to play, according to Bucs head coach Todd Bowles. But it’s the other players coming back that will help Tampa Bay beat the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Bucky Irving, Jamel Dean and Haason Reddick are all expected to play and they’re all needed for various reasons. 

Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The mere presence of Irving will provide a boost for the offense. He hasn’t played since Week 4 and the crowd will be going wild for Irving when they announce his name at Raymond James Stadium. The run game has been good for the Bucs, but it’ll be great with Irving even on a pitch count. That allows a fresher Irving, Rachaad White and Sean Tucker as Tampa Bay should be run-heavy due to Mayfield’s shoulder issue.

No unit in the league needs more help than the Bucs defense. Having Jamel Dean back should do wonders for Tampa Bay, especially if Arizona is going to have Marvin Harrison Jr. return. And while Haason Reddick hasn’t given the sack production that everyone wants, the Bucs need help on the pass rush, him coming back provides them a better chance. Tampa Bay has looked bad against the good teams, but they’ve gotten the job done against subpar teams. They’ll win on Sunday.

MATERA’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 27, Cardinals 21
MATERA’S SEASON RECORD: 8-3

Adam Slivon: Bucs Just Barely Get By Cardinals

The Buccaneers and Cardinals may be in different situations when assessing their season and overall roster construction, but they have also played eerily similar football as of late. Tampa Bay has the benefit of early-season comeback efforts, which have them at 6-5, while Arizona has failed to win close games and currently sits at 3-8. The Cards have also allowed 112 points over the past three games, while the Bucs have allowed 105 points over the same span. Neither has played well over the past month, and with both in a position of starting backup quarterbacks, anything can happen on Sunday afternoon.

Bucs S Tykee Smith and LB Lavonte David – Photo by: USA Today

Starting with the Bucs’ offense, the unit has lacked consistency with Baker Mayfield running the show as of late. It is unlikely they snap out of it with Teddy Bridgewater, who is in line to start. Mayfield still has a chance of beginning the game after suffering a low-grade left shoulder sprain, but it is hard to foresee either having the kind of big day that propels Josh Grizzard’s troops. Grizzard is simply attempting to keep the offense afloat, with a renewed emphasis on getting whoever starts under center into rhythm and relying on an improved run game. Bucky Irving’s return will help, but all three running backs should be involved.

Jacoby Brissett has filled in admirably for Kyler Murray on the Cardinals’ side of things. Brissett has several weapons in Trey McBride, Michael Wilson, and Marvin Harrison Jr. if he suits up for the game after missing the past two games. In particular, McBride is an elite weapon that Todd Bowles’ defense will struggle to defend. Arizona can stay in the game and make things interesting if nothing changes from a defensive game planning standpoint.

It is not going to be the kind of afternoon that one forecasted all season, but the Bucs have homefield advantage and should play with more urgency as they seek to right the ship. It will not be pretty, but I predict they pull off another close victory.

SLIVON’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 24, Cardinals 20
SLIVON’S SEASON RECORD: 8-3

Bailey Adams: The Losing Streak Stops Now For The Bucs

I’m much less confident about this game than I expected to be. Part of it is the question mark at the quarterback position for the Bucs. Is Baker Mayfield going to play, or will it be Teddy Bridgewater? If Mayfield goes, will he be limited at all? If Bridgewater is QB1 on Sunday, will he prove he’s still capable of playing winning football?

The other thing that’s given me pause about this game is how close the Cardinals have played a lot of teams this year. Yes, they’re 3-8, but within their eight losses, six have been by one possession. And with the way Tampa Bay is playing right now, I feel pretty certain Arizona is going to keep this one interesting throughout.

Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: USA Today

With that all said, I think the Bucs figure things out just enough to get the job done. They have to, right? This team isn’t as good as we thought it was when it was 5-1 and had just beaten Seattle and San Francisco. But I also don’t believe this group is as bad as it has looked since the bye week. Whether it’s the return home to Raymond James Stadium, the fact that it’s Simeon Rice’s Ring of Honor induction day, the impending return of Bucky Irving and other key players, the Bucs’ 10-2 record between Weeks 13-18 in the last two seasons or sheer hope, I’m saying this is the week the losing streak ends for Tampa Bay.

It won’t be pretty, but a hard-fought win could feel pretty good right now for this team.

ADAMS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 23, Cardinals 17
ADAMS’ SEASON RECORD: 8-3

Josh Queipo: Bucs Benefit From Improving Health

With the return of Bucky Irving and Ben Bredeson, paired with Chris Godwin Jr.’s ramp up the cavalry is on the way for the Bucs offense. And with Jamel Dean set to return, the same can be said for the defense. Even with the looming question surrounding quarterback, Tampa Bay’s run game is poised to control the game and its eventual outcome.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today

The Cardinals have played well with their own backup quarterback, Jacoby Brissett. He poses problems for the Bucs defense but holds the ball on the longer side (average of 2.97 seconds). Vita Vea and Elijah Roberts should be able to take advantage of a subpar interior offensive line and generate pressure. The Cardinals line can also be had by creative blitz concepts – something Jaguars used last week aiding them in registering six sacks.

The Bucs will need to have an intentional plan to handle Trey McBride. Using a combination of Tykee Smith, Antoine Winfield Jr., Jacob Parrish and even Christian Izien rather than the linebacker corps will be essential to accomplishing this goal. That should lead to Tampa Bay’s first victory in a month.

QUEIPO’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 20, Cardinals 19
QUEIPO’S SEASON RECORD: 7-4