The playoff-bound Buccaneers concluded their 2020 regular season with an 11-5 record and a second-place finish in the NFC South division behind New Orleans. It’s Tampa Bay’s best finish since the 2005 season when the Bucs also had an 11-5 record, and this year marks the team’s first playoff berth since 2007 when the 9-7 squad won the NFC South division.
Tampa Bay’s opponents for the 2021 season are now known, as the Bucs will be facing the NFC East and the AFC East divisions, in addition to the second-place finisher from the NFC North and NFC West divisions. That means quarterback Tom Brady will return to New England for a game against his former team, the Patriots, that will certainly be on national television.
The Bucs will also face Washington, their first-round playoff opponent, in a rematch during the 2021 season.
Tampa Bay will travel to Los Angeles, which finished in second place in the NFC West with its win over Arizona on Sunday, in 2021 to play the Rams for a third straight time in the regular season. The Rams beat the Bucs on Monday Night Football in Tampa Bay this year, 27-24, and the two teams could face off again in the playoffs if both advance to the NFC Championship Game.
The Bucs will also host the Bears, who finished second in the NFC North division, during the 2021 season. Tampa Bay lost at Chicago, 20-19, on Thursday Night Football in Week 5 this year.
Times and dates for the 2021 schedule will come out in April before the 2021 NFL Draft, which takes place from April 29-May 1.
Bucs’ 2021 Home Opponents
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints
Dallas Cowboys
New York Giants
Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins
Chicago Bears
Bucs’ 2021 Away Opponents
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints
Washington Football Team
Philadelphia Eagles
New England Patriots
New York Jets
Los Angeles Rams
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About the Author: Scott Reynolds
The NFC East and AFC East has been known for quite awhile, because as soon as Brady signed with Tampa last spring it was announced he would be facing the Patriots in 2021 since it was already determined that the two divisions were playing each other. The NFC East was known as well. The only still unknown at this point (which the article fails to mention for some curious reason) is the 17th game as next season is the year the NFL adds one regular season game, and takes away two preseason games as part of the latest agreement (I… Read more »
13-3
Just as this year, all of those games are winnable. According to the way teams are playing this year, the toughest games will be the Bills, Dolphins and Saints, but as we all know the offseason can change teams and weather and injuries always play a part. Regardless, looks like another solid chance to make the post season if the née salary cap issues don’t ruin everything.
How the heck to they do it? Yet another cupcake schedule. Of course we can’t know that since teams can get markedly better or worse but at first glance definitely a cupcake. Being in a weak division helps and taking on the AFC East division with a weak Pat’s and Jets teams helps as well. Eagles, Giants, Cowboys…..more weakness. Of course outside of Bucs nation the chat is about the Brady/Belichick matchup. One that at this stage is impossible to assess because whatever the Pat’s were this year is not what they will be next year from a personnel or… Read more »