5 Games That Will Make or Break the 2015 Season

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 5 Games That Will Make or Break the 2015 Season By Luke Easterling Jul 24, 2015 Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are eager to put last year's debacle behind them, after finishing with the league's worst record at 2-14 and missing on quite a few of their big-money free-agent signings.But with a new year comes new hope for head coach Lovie Smith and his crew, as the Bucs look to bounce back and contend for the title in a division that saw a team with a losing record claim the crown in 2015.Having finished with such a poor record, the Bucs will have a fairly advantageous schedule to navigate this season, though it will have its rough patches. As always, division games will be key, and Tampa Bay will have to improve its record at home if they want to have any hope of contending for a playoff spot.Here are the five games that will either make or break the 2015 season for the Bucs.Week 1: Home vs. Tennessee TitansJoe Robbins/Getty Images This is an obvious choice.The Bucs will open up their regular-season schedule by hosting the Tennessee Titans, the team who tied them for the league's worst record at 2-14.The big storyline for this game has already been building for months, as it looks to feature a battle between the top two picks in this year's draft and their new respective franchise quarterbacks. Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota will have their first chance to prove who was the better pick, though the comparison will continue long after this game, possibly for their entire career.This game will be key for the Bucs to set a positive tone for the entire season. They'll have the home crowd behind them in a matchup that doesn't get more winnable than facing the next-worst team the NFL had to offer last year.Week 4: Home vs. Carolina PanthersCliff McBride/Getty Images The second division matchup on this year's schedule for the Bucs, this matchup with the Carolina Panthers will be a key game that sets the tone for the first half of the season.Tampa Bay will be returning home from back-to-back road games against the New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans, both of which could easily land in the loss column. If the Bucs have any hope of challenging for the NFC South title, they'll want to avoid dropping to 0-2 in the division.Despite Carolina winning the NFC South last season and the Bucs finishing with the worst record in the NFL at 2-14, Tampa Bay lost both of their tilts with the Panthers by a combined eight points. If Tampa Bay can snatch this one and finish the first quarter of the season at 2-2, it could be a huge morale boost heading into the rest of the season.Week 9: Home vs. New York GiantsSteven Ryan-USA TODAY Sports What is the quickest way to regain national respect? Beating big-market teams who regularly get national attention and have one of the league's most exciting young players.Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning and the New York Giants will pay a visit to Raymond James Stadium on November 8, and the explosive Odell Beckham, Jr. will test the Tampa Bay secondary as much as any receiver they'll face all season long.Not only is this game key for getting the Bucs some positive attention on a national level, it precedes a daunting three-game stretch that includes a visit from the Dallas Cowboys and road games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts.Those three games will be the toughest run of the year for Tampa Bay, making this game against the Giants a must-win if the Bucs want to still have a chance at the playoffs after wading through the three extremely tough opponents to follow.Week 15: Away vs. St. Louis RamsJeff Haynes/Associated Press Last year, the Bucs let a late fourth-quarter lead slip in Week 2 as the Rams—and third-string quarterback Austin Davis—beat them at home, 19-17.In 2015, the Bucs will travel to St. Louis to take their stab at revenge, and it could be their only chance of the season to impress a national, prime-time audience. This game will be played on a Thursday night and aired on NFL Network, giving Tampa Bay a chance to show off their new franchise quarterback to the entire country.Thursday Night Football wasn't too kind to the Bucs last season, as a road trip to face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3 ended in a 56-14 drubbing. Tampa Bay will be hoping for a much better performance this time around, as they look to transform from one of the league's worst teams into a playoff contender.Week 17: Away vs. Carolina PanthersGrant Halverson/Getty Images The Panthers show up on this list yet again, this time as the season finale for Tampa Bay's 2015 campaign.Regardless of where the Bucs are in the standings at this point in the season, ending the year on a positive note is huge for any NFL team. Tampa Bay will have to do it on the road, and it's very possible this game will have playoff implications for at least one of the two teams.Best-case scenario for Tampa Bay? This game plays a key role in determining who represents the NFC South in the playoffs, with the Bucs being in that conversation. In the worst case, Tampa Bay still needs to finish the season on a high note and go into the offseason with the taste of victory on their lips.link