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BUCCANEERS at BENGALS

WHEN: Sunday, September 13, 2026 | WHERE: Paycor Stadium | KICKOFF: 1:00 p.m. ET | TV: FOX

PLAY-BY-PLAY: Kevin Kugler | ANALYSTS: Daryl “Moose” Johnston | SIDELINE: Allison Williams

RADIO: 98 ROCK 97.9 FM | PLAY-BY-PLAY: Tony Castricone | ANALYST: Dave Moore | SIDELINE: Jay Recher

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: I Trust The Bucs’ Preparation vs. Bengals

Say what you want about Todd Bowles as head coach of the Buccaneers – or even about his play-calling prowess. But when it comes to getting his team prepared to play early in the season the results speak for themselves. Tampa Bay has started each of Bowles’ four seasons as head coach 2-0 thanks to he and his staff’s dogged film study and game plans. Of the last four opening day wins, three of which have been on the road with victories at Dallas, Minnesota and Atlanta. I think Baker Mayfield and Co. have enough firepower to match Joe Burrow and the Bengals in Week 1.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles, Bengals QB Joe Burrow and Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Kareem Elgazzar

The difference will come on the defensive side of the ball where Bowles’ revamped unit should be able to pressure and sack Burrow due to Cincy’s suspect offensive line. Rueben Bain, Yaya Diaby, Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey will need to get to Burrow quickly to help out a young and questionable secondary, who will be tasked with covering Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and rookie Colbie Young. Zac Robinson’s ball control offense helps keep Burrow on the sidelines and the Bucs edge the Bengals on the road to push Bowles’ streak of Week 1 wins to five.

REYNOLDS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 27, Bengals 20
REYNOLDS’ SEASON RECORD: 0-0

Matt Matera: Bucs Keep Their Season Opener Winning Streak Going

I’m going with recent history in this matchup. Despite some flaws with Bucs head coach Todd Bowles, one thing he has excelled at is getting his teams ready at the beginning of seasons. Tampa Bay has gone 2-0 in each year Bowles has been the head coach for the Bucs, meanwhile the Bengals have struggled out of the gate, going 1-3 in that same time frame.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With a revamped defensive front that includes rookie first round pick Rueben Bain Jr., I’m confident the Bucs will generate tons of pressure on a bad Bengals offensive line to take down Joe Burrow often, thus slowing down their talented receivers. Tampa Bay will be able to run the ball, too, thanks to a healthy offensive line and a one-two punch of Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell. This opens up the play action for Baker Mayfield, as the Bucs put up tons of points in Zac Robinson’s debut as offensive coordinator and the Bucs get a win.

MATERA’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 28, Bengals 24
MATERA’S SEASON RECORD: 0-0

Adam Slivon: Bucs Catch Bengals At Right Time, Handle Business In Week 1

Sunday afternoon will come down to quarterback play between Baker Mayfield and Joe Burrow. What stands out between the two signal-callers is how dominant Mayfield has been in Week 1 in recent years compared to Burrow. The Bucs’ offense will face what was the 30th-ranked scoring defense last season, even though the Bengals added Dexter Lawrence up the middle. Still, that is not enough to contain a wide zone-based run scheme that will look to run away from his side, and Cincinnati’s secondary will have to find ways to limit a deep collection of weapons in the pass game.

Bucs WRs Ted Hurst, Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Cincinnati has a surplus of talent at certain positions, but they have underwhelmed despite the star power because of glaring personnel weaknesses. That is where Todd Bowles and Zac Robinson will look to attack, and Bowles’ record of getting his teams ready to play to begin the year speaks for itself. From a defensive standpoint, Tampa Bay’s front seven should have no problem generating pressure and finding ways to bring down Burrow and limit his time to find Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. In the end, the Bucs will find ways to execute and come away with a road win to kick off the season.

SLIVON’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 24, Bengals 20
SLIVON’S SEASON RECORD: 0-0

Bailey Adams: An Unfamiliar Losing Start For Todd Bowles’ Bucs

This truly feels like one of those coin flip type of games to me. I really could see it going either way. On the one hand, there’s the fact that the Bucs have a revamped defense, a healthy offensive line and a wealth of talent around $165 million man Baker Mayfield. Combine all of that with the fact that Todd Bowles always has his team prepared for Week 1 and this feels like a game that Tampa Bay can and should win.

Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase and QB Joe Burrow – Photo by: USA Today

But the Week 1 winning streak has to end at some point, doesn’t it? This Bengals team is just as desperate for success in 2026 as the Bucs are, and with a trip to Houston to face the Texans waiting in Week 2, Cincinnati badly needs a winning start at home in this one. I think Joe Burrow will get the ball out quickly enough to neutralize the Tampa Bay pass rush for much of the day, and I just don’t trust the secondary right now against a duo as strong as Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. With as little conviction as possible, give me the Bengals to win it…

ADAMS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bengals 26, Bucs 20
ADAMS’ SEASON RECORD: 0-0

Josh Queipo: Bucs Give Early Season Hope With Road Win

I’m not sold on the Bucs offense this year. If the offensive line remains healthy, I will warm up more to their upside. But I still have heavy reservations about Zac Robinson’s vision for his side of the ball. But I have even less faith in the Bengals defense. Dexter Lawrence and Dax Hill are legitimate dudes. But beyond that where Cincinnati has a strength, the Bucs have a better one (Boye Mafe vs. Tampa Bay’s tackles). This gives me hope that the Bucs can score enough to hang with the Bengals’ vaunted passing attack.

Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

And while Cincinnati is attempting to convince Joe Burrow that they need more under center play-action to keep up with the modern NFL, I believe growing pains will show in Week 1, helping the Bucs defense, which I have an immense belief in, to hold the Bengals offense at bay. Tampa Bay’s pressure attack from their front seven should be much improved and make Burrow’s day a long one.

QUEIPO’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 23, Bengals 17
QUEIPO’S SEASON RECORD: 0-0

Nick Geddes: Positive Trend Continues For Todd Bowles’ Bucs

One of Todd Bowles’ strongest qualities as a head coach is he always has his team ready to play in Week 1. Since taking over for Bruce Arians in 2022, Bowles has gone a remarkable 8-0 combined in the first two games of each season. The same can’t be said about Zac Taylor, who is 2-5 in Week 1 since becoming Cincinnati’s head coach in 2019. Those slow starts have been a major talking point in southwest Ohio, though Taylor did guide the Bengals to a 2-0 start last season before a four-game losing streak and an injury to quarterback Joe Burrow quickly knocked them out of playoff contention.

Bucs OLB Rueben Bain Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

I’m betting on last season being the outlier for Cincinnati and Tampa Bay picking up a road win begin the 2026 season. The Bucs’ pass rush is significantly improved on paper with the additions of Rueben Bain Jr., Al-Quadin Muhammad, and David Walker to supplement Yaya Diaby and Anthony Nelson. We know Tampa Bay is strong in the middle with Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey. Look for that crew to win the battle over a suspect Bengals offensive line and create enough pressure to make Burrow uncomfortable. I trust, at least in Week 1, Tampa Bay’s offense to flirt with 30 plus points, giving them the edge in this one.

GEDDES’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 28, Bengals 21
GEDDES’ SEASON RECORD: 0-0