First thing that jumps out to me is the games against KC and SF right before they finally get a bye in Week 10. The Niners will be coming off their bye when they play the Bucs. At least it's at RJ. The Bucs have been known to be flat coming off the bye. Why not the Niners???
Second thing - the last two games against division foes once again. Whether the Bucs are better or worse than expectations, the chances are good that they won't be out of it until the end, and neither will the division foes.
Finally, this could be another year where the Bucs an run off some wins at the end of the season. After the Bye they have the Giants, Carolina, Vegas, Chargers, Dallas, Carolina and New Orleans. The Chargers could be tough, but other than that they could have another strong finish.
The toughest games are @Det, Phi, BAL on MNF, @KC, SF, @LAC. That's 7 games. I've said before that IMO Bucs need to get to 11-6 to be considered a successful season. But they'll have to do better than just beat the losing teams and lose to the winning teams like they did last year. They need to win at least a couple games against those seven contending teams. If we're a good team we have to beat at least a couple of the other good teams.
Sun. Sept. 8 WASHINGTON 4:25 PM FOXin
Sun. Sept. 15 at Detroit 1:00 PM FOX
Sun. Sept. 22 DENVER 1:00 PM FOX
Sun. Sept. 29 PHILADELPHIA 1:00 PM FOX
Thurs. Oct. 3 at Atlanta 8:15 PM Prime Video
Sun. Oct. 13 at New Orleans 1:00 PM FOX
Mon. Oct. 21 BALTIMORE 8:15 PM ESPN
Sun. Oct. 27 ATLANTA 1:00 PM FOX
Mon. Nov. 4 at Kansas City 8:15 PM ESPN
Sun. Nov. 10 SAN FRANCISCO 1:00 PM FOX
-- bye week --
Sun. Nov. 24 at N.Y. Giants 1:00 PM CBS
Sun. Dec. 1 at Carolina 4:05 PM FOX
Sun. Dec. 8 LAS VEGAS 1:00 PM CBS
Sun. Dec. 15 at L.A. Chargers 4:25 PM FOX
Sun. Dec. 22 at Dallas 8:20 PM NBC
Sun. Dec. 29 CAROLINA 1:00 PM CBS
TBD Jan. 4/5 NEW ORLEANS TBD TBD
9 win season
Sun. Sept. 8 WASHINGTON WIN
Sun. Sept. 15 at Detroit LOSS
Sun. Sept. 22 DENVER WIN
Sun. Sept. 29 PHILADELPHIA LOSS
Thurs. Oct. 3 at Atlanta WIN
Sun. Oct. 13 at New Orleans LOSS
Mon. Oct. 21 BALTIMORE LOSS
Sun. Oct. 27 ATLANTA WIN
Mon. Nov. 4 at Kansas City LOSS
Sun. Nov. 10 SAN FRANCISCO LOSS
-- bye week --
Sun. Nov. 24 at N.Y. Giants WIN
Sun. Dec. 1 at Carolina WIN
Sun. Dec. 8 LAS VEGAS WIN
Sun. Dec. 15 at L.A. Chargers LOSS
Sun. Dec. 22 at Dallas 8:20 LOSS
Sun. Dec. 29 CAROLINA 1:00 WIN
TBD Jan. 4/5 NEW ORLEANS WIN
Title
It looks like a tough schedule in my opinion. However I like the make of our team and also thought we were one of the better teams last year. They should be able to handle it fine if they are indeed one of the better teams again this year. Baker definitely has to take his game to another level regardless of the schedule. Even though tom Brady won a super bowl in year 1 you kinda expected him to be more in sync with his offense in year 2. Obviously the teams are not the same and completely different circumstances but with familiarity it should technically be "easier" as getting on the same page shouldn't be as tough as it was in year 1.
However we do have a different system and we have a pretty difficult schedule in my opinion. It could go south before we get going but like I said i like our team and think they really should be able to handle what is thrown at them this year. I feel like bowles should be smarter by now too. Hopefully he's learning as he's aging here. I don't mind him as much in hindsight. He's got some skill in the league and he is what he is. Feel like if our new o coordinator gets them on the same page early on we can be a force with our d. It could be a fun year but my initial thoughts were the schedule looks tough. It's also the buccaneer fan in me to be like holy hell 3-15 as the initial reaction lol. After some reflection on last year we should be way better than that.
It's kinda hard to predict the record before preseason but if Baker takes another step, they take care of their division games for the most part and show up for prime time games they should be a division winner and get to the playoffs again. With other teams getting better it will be tough I think. Veteran bucs team should be ready if they're healthy. Go bucs!
WEEK 1
Falcons over Steelers (1-0)
Bucs over Commanders (1-0)
Saints over Panthers (1-0, 0-1)
WEEK 2
Lions over Bucs (1-1)
Eagles over Falcons (1-1)
Cowboys over Saints (1-1)
Chargers over Panthers (0-2)
WEEK 3
Bucs over Broncos (2-1)
Raiders over Panthers (0-3)
Eagles over Saints (1-2)
Chiefs over Falcons (1-2)
WEEK 4
Bucs over Eagles (3-1)
Falcons over Saints (2-2, 1-3)
Bengals over Panthers (0-4)
WEEK 5
Falcons over Bucs (3-2, 3-2)
Chiefs over Saints (1-4)
Bears over Panthers (0-5)
WEEK 6
Saints over Bucs (3-3, 2-4)
Panthers over Falcons (3-3, 1-5)
WEEK 7
Falcons over Seahawks (4-3)
Ravens over Bucs (3-4)
Commanders over Panthers (1-6)
Saints over Broncos (3-4)
WEEK 8
Bucs over Falcons (4-4, 4-4)
Charges over Saints (3-5)
Broncos over Panthers (1-7)
WEEK 9
Chiefs over Bucs (4-5)
Cowboys over Falcons (4-5)
Saints over Panthers (4-5, 1-8)
WEEK 10
49ers over Bucs (4-6)
Panthers over Giants (2-8)
Saints over Falcons (5-5, 4-6)
WEEK 11
Bucs, Panthers BYE WEEK (4-6, 2-8)
Saints over Browns (6-5)
Falcons over Broncos (5-6)
WEEK 12
Falcons, Saints BYE WEEK (5-6, 6-5)
Bucs over Giants (5-6)
Chiefs over Panthers (2-9)
WEEK 13
Bucs over Panthers (6-6, 2-10)
Rams over Saints (6-6)
Chargers over Falcons (5-7)
WEEK 14
Bucs over Raiders (7-6)
Vikings over Falcons (5-8)
Giants over Saints (6-7)
Eagles over Panthers (2-11)
WEEK 15
Bucs over Chargers (8-6)
Falcons over Saints (6-8)
Saints over Commanders (7-7)
Cowboys over Panthers (2-12)
WEEK 16
Cowboys over Bucs (8-7)
Panthers over Cardinals (3-12)
Packers over Saints (7-8)
Falcons over Giants (7-8)
WEEK 17
Bucs over Panthers (9-7, 3-13)
Falcons over Commanders (8-8)
Saints over Raiders (8-8)
WEEK 18
Bucs over Saints (10-7, 8-9)
Falcons over Panthers (9-8, 3-14)
I'm not predicting 11 wins, but here's how they could do it....
Sun. Sept. 8 WASHINGTON 4:25 PM FOXin WIN - if they don't it would be a bad sign about the whole season.
Sun. Sept. 15 at Detroit 1:00 PM FOX LOSS - It's going to be a tough game, can't predict a win here.
Sun. Sept. 22 DENVER 1:00 PM FOX WIN. Another home game against a losing team, their specialty last year.
Sun. Sept. 29 PHILADELPHIA 1:00 PM FOX WIN This will be tough of course, but it's winnable.
Thurs. Oct. 3 at Atlanta 8:15 PM Prime Video LOSS. A split of the Falcons game is reasonable.
Sun. Oct. 13 at New Orleans 1:00 PM FOX WIN. I think the Saints go in the tank this year. Too many years of cap hell finally comes to roost.
Mon. Oct. 21 BALTIMORE 8:15 PM ESPN WIN. The Bucs can stop a mobile QB a lot better than a pocket passing specialist.
Sun. Oct. 27 ATLANTA 1:00 PM FOX WIN. As I said a Falcons split.
Mon. Nov. 4 at Kansas City 8:15 PM ESPN LOSS. Nope.
Sun. Nov. 10 SAN FRANCISCO 1:00 PM FOX LOSS. SF comes off Bye, the Bucs know they can run off some games after the bye. 6-4 is OK knowing the upcoming schedule.
-- bye week --
Sun. Nov. 24 at N.Y. Giants 1:00 PM CBS LOSS. Fresh legs coming off the bye. Bucs lay an egg.
Sun. Dec. 1 at Carolina 4:05 PM FOX WIN. I'm not buying Canales hype when it comes to head coaching.
Sun. Dec. 8 LAS VEGAS 1:00 PM CBS WIN.
Sun. Dec. 15 at L.A. Chargers 4:25 PM FOX LOSS
Sun. Dec. 22 at Dallas 8:20 PM NBC WIN. The Cowboys could be struggling by this point in the season. It could be the end for the HC there.
Sun. Dec. 29 CAROLINA 1:00 PM CBS WIN.
TBD Jan. 4/5 NEW ORLEANS TBD TBD WIN.
That's how to get to 11 wins. They have to beat a couple playoff level teams. They can't just keep the status quo of beating bad teams and losing to the good ones and consider that to be progress. Too many good players on this team like Vea, Evans who you can't just take for granted that they'll be healthy and in top form in 2025.
surprisingly good schedule.
Agree, it's actually favorable IMHO. The first three home opponents will wilt in the heat and lose, 3-1 start. Split away games at ATL and NO, 4-2. Tough go for the next 4 games, but the Bucs will upset either BAL, KC, or SF, and beat ATL, 6-4. BYE. Four out of the next five on the road, but three are weak opponents. 4-3 the rest of the way. 10-7.
