After Sunday’s 27-19 win over the Saints clinched them the NFC South and the Rams’ loss bumped them up to the No. 3 seed, the Bucs knew they’d be taking on the No. 6 seed Commanders on Super Wild Card Weekend.

Bucs OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Commanders QB Jayden Daniels – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

So, the matchup was set, but the full playoff schedule had yet to be finalized. But during the first quarter of the Sunday Night Football game between the Vikings and Lions, NBC announced the schedule, and it features a Sunday night matchup between the Bucs and Commanders. Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. on NBC, with Tampa Bay and Washington wrapping up what will be a full day of playoff football.

The AFC will get things started on Saturday, with a 4:30 p.m. CBS game that will see the Chargers travel to Houston to face the Texans. Then, in primetime, the Steelers will hit the road to face the Ravens for an 8:00 p.m. game on Prime Video.

The AFC will then wrap up its Super Wild Card Weekend slate to kick off Sunday, with the Broncos headed to Buffalo to meet the Bills at 1:00 p.m. on CBS. Then, the NFC takes center stage with a pair of Week 1 rematches. Up first, it’s the Packers heading to Philadelphia to match up with the Eagles at 4:30 p.m. on FOX. Then comes the Bucs hosting the Commanders at 8:00 p.m. on NBC.

Super Wild Card Weekend wraps up on Monday night, with the loser of Sunday night’s game between the Vikings and Lions heading west to take on the Rams at 8:00 p.m. on ESPN/ABC.

Bucs Will Have To Overcome Primetime Woes To Advance

Bucs OC Liam Coen and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

That sound you heard when the full Super Wild Card Weekend schedule was announced was probably a collective grown from Bucs fans in Tampa Bay and all over the country and world, as the thought of a primetime game for Todd Bowles and his team can be shudder-inducing. The Bucs were 0-4 in primetime games this season.

Bucs’ 2024 Primetime Results:

Thursday Night Football: ATL 36, TB 30 (OT)
Monday Night Football: BAL 41, TB 31
Monday Night Football: KC 30, TB 24 (OT)
Sunday Night Football: DAL 26, TB 24

Over the course of Bowles’ three-year tenure as Tampa Bay’s head coach, his teams are 4-9 in primetime. The 2022 Bucs were 3-3, including a Monday Night Football loss to the Cowboys on Super Wild Card Weekend to end the season and Tom Brady’s career. Last year, Tampa Bay was 0-2 in primetime during the regular season, but it did win a Monday Night Football game over Philadelphia on Super Wild Card Weekend to make that a 1-2 mark.

Now, the Bucs will be looking to turn their 0-4 record during primetime regular season games this year into a 1-4 record with a win over the Commanders on Sunday night. Washington is 2-1 in primetime games this season, with its most recent appearance being a positive for Tampa Bay. The Commanders’ Sunday Night Football win over the Falcons in Week 16 reopened the door for the Bucs in the NFC South race.

Now, as fate would have it after Washington played a significant role in Tampa Bay making the playoffs, the two teams will match up and one will be going home for the offseason.

Nonetheless, there will certainly be a big-game feel inside Ray Jay come Sunday night as Baker Mayfield and the Bucs look to keep their season alive and get to the NFC Divisional Round for the second straight season.