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With Tampa Bay’s schedule now official, let’s predict some games
We are one step closer to football season as the 2025 NFL regular season schedule was released this past week and for the Bucs it includes four primetime games as well as some interesting stretches during the season.
With the dates and times now being official, let’s try our hand at predicting these games.
Week 1 @ Atlanta Falcons, 1 PM EST
Tampa Bay opens their season on the road in Atlanta for a matchup with the Falcons. Last year, Atlanta swept the Bucs and the game in Atlanta in particular was a heartbreaker for Tampa. Despite that, the Bucs were still able to win the NFC South but getting swept again and hoping to still win the division isn’t a recipe for success and not sustainable.
The Bucs are presented with a huge opportunity right out of the game in this one and I think they will have revenge on their minds. This will be their first time seeing Michael Penix Jr and while that can be a bit never racking with the unknown element, the Bucs find a way to beat Atlanta and start the season on the right foot.
Win (Record 1-0)
Week 2 @ Houston Texans, 7 PM EST, Monday Night Football
Tampa Bay is on the road yet again and this time in Houston and CJ Stroud. The last time the Bucs saw Stroud in Houston, it was a nightmare game for Tampa as Stroud lit them up through the air. Hopefully this time it turns out a bit better.
The
Texans were a playoff team last year and figure to be the favorite in the AFC South this season as well. This won’t be an easy task, but the Bucs under Todd Bowles have started 2-0 in each of his first three seasons as head coach. It will be a back-and-forth game, but the Bucs find a way to squeak out a W.
Win (Record 2-0)
Week 3, Vs New York Jets, 1 PM EST
Finally, the Bucs have come home. In the home opener, the Bucs will be taking on the new look Jets with Justin Fields at the helm.
Last year was a mess for the Jets and they are trying to work themselves out of that. They do have a lot of talent but there still are major questions surrounding Fields and if he can be the guy moving forward. I think that favors Tampa Bay and they take advantage of the Jets trying to figure out exactly what they are. The Bucs start the season 3-0 for the first time since 2005.
Win (Record 3-0)
Week 4, Vs Philadelphia Eagles, 1 PM EST
The Bucs welcome the defending
Super Bowl champs to town in week four and this is a matchup Tampa Bay has had a lot of success with lately. Since 2015, the Bucs are 6-1 against the Eagles including the playoffs, which the Bucs have eliminated the Eagles twice.
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Even though the Bucs have had the Eagles’ number, they are the defending Super Bowl champs for a reason. After a big time win in week three and starting the season hot, I think the Bucs have a let down here against a really good football team.
Loss (Record 3-1)
Week 5, @ Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 PM EST
Tampa Bay heads out to the West Coast and will look to bounce back after their first loss of the season. The
Seahawks were a team that underwent a major change in the offseason, trading quarterback Geno Smith and signing Sam Darnold.
Seattle is one of those teams that are kind of stuck in the middle. They have not been quite good enough to make the playoffs consistently and make a run, but also not bad enough to pick high in the draft. However they have some serious talent and playing in Seattle can always be tricky. I think this is going to be a hard fought, low scoring, grind it out type of game. Give me the Bucs in a nail bitter.
Win (Record 4-1)
Week 6, Vs San Francisco 49ers, 1 PM EST
The Bucs welcome in the
49ers who are in need of a bounce back season. Almost everything that could go wrong did go wrong for San Francisco and they are hoping to return to the top of the NFC.
I will be frank here, until I see a Todd Bowles Bucs team actually beat a Kyle Shanahan 49ers team, I am not going to pick the Bucs. Bowles has faced off against Shanahan every year since becoming Bucs head coach and he’s lost every year. That won’t change this time around either.
Loss (Record 4-2)
Week 7, @ Detroit Lions, 7 PM EST, Monday Night Football
The Bucs are on prime time for the second time and are playing one of, if not the best team in the NFC. Last year the Bucs victory in Detroit was one of the biggest highlights of the season. I’m not sure things will go the same way this time around.
I think this is a back-and-forth battle and people will be impressed with Tampa Bay’s fight in front of the national audience, but they come up just short here for their second straight loss.
Loss (Record 4-3)
Week 8, @ New Orleans Saints, 4:05 PM EST
Only the second divisional game so far this season, the Bucs head to New Orleans to play a Saints team who will have some low expectations in 2025. Derek Carr has retired, and it appears that this season will be more of a rebuild year for New Orleans.
I think a desperate Bucs team who has just lost two straight will come out and want to make a statement against a team they are simply better than. They travel to the Big Easy and pick up a big W.
Win (Record 5-3)
Week 9 BYE
Week 10, Vs New England Patriots, 1 PM EST
After two straight road games, the Bucs are back at home and taking on Drake Maye, Mike Vrabel and the Patriots. The past few seasons have not been easy for New England. The Jerod Mayo experiment did not work out and he was fired after just one season, and they hired former Patriot Mike Vrabel.
I really like the direction New England is going. Vrabel is one of the better coaches in the entire league and Drake Maye has a lot of talent. The Patriots have added a bit of talent over the past few years and are hoping to turn the corner soon, but it feels like they still may be a year away. The Bucs take care of business at home.
Win (Record 6-3)
Week 11, @ Buffalo Bills, 1 PM EST
Now the Bucs head to Buffalo to play one of the NFL’s best and the reigning MVP in Josh Allen. This will not be an easy test. Being on the road against a really good football team is never an easy thing to deal with. I think this game is super competitive but ultimately Josh Allen makes one too many plays for the Bucs defense to handle.
Loss (Record 6-4)
Week 12, @ Los Angeles Rams, 8:20 PM EST, Sunday Night Football
The hits just keep on coming for the Bucs as they need to travel to the West Coast to play another game against a good opponent. The Rams nearly beat the Eagles in the playoffs last year and they are returning largely the same group minus Cooper Kupp as they replaced him with Devante Adams.
This game could very well be a coin flip, but I think the Rams being the home team will give them the edge as the Bucs suffer a heartbreaker and their second straight loss.
Loss (Record 6-5)
Week 13, Vs Arizona Cardinals, 1 PM EST
After back-to-back losses, the Bucs are at home and playing the Cardinals. Arizona is a tricky team to read. They have talent and can be a feisty team, but they also have not made the playoffs since 2021. They did however improve from 4-13 in 2023 to 8-9 in 2024 so perhaps more improvement is coming.
I think for the Cardinals though, they are getting the Bucs at the wrong time. I think they are going to be an angry, and re-energized team and will show that in this one.
Win (Record 7-5)
Week 14, Vs New Orleans, 1 PM EST
The beginning of three straight divisional matchups begins with New Orleans. This is a game the Bucs just have to have. New Orleans is likely to be struggling at this point, and the Bucs will most likely be fighting for a division title.
At home, in December… Bucs need this one and I think they get it in convincing fashion.
Win (Record 8-5)
Week 15 Vs Atlanta Falcons, 8:15 PM EST, Thursday Night Football
For the second straight year, the Bucs will be facing off against the Falcons on Thursday night football, this time in Tampa. After defeating the Falcons in week one, Atlanta will now be the ones looking to avoid being swept.
Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
I think both of these teams will be battling throughout the entire season for the NFC South and with a win here, the Bucs might be able to wrap up the division. Unfortunately, the Bucs are due for a disappointing game that maybe slips away from them and this one might be it.
Loss (Record 8-6)
Week 16, @ Carolina Panthers, 1 PM EST
For the first time this season, Tampa Bay plays the
Carolina Panthers. There is a world where the Panthers are in the running for the NFC South crown so maybe this game will be pretty big.
The Panthers were feisty in 2024 but were swept by Tampa Bay. They were also swept by the Bucs in 2023, and I think their win streak against Carolina continues as they bounce back from a divisional loss with a divisional win.
Win (Record 9-6)
Week 17, @ Miami Dolphins, 1 PM EST
Tampa heads down to Miami to take on the
Dolphins and by this point in the season, who knows where either of these teams will be. This game could be pretty big for both teams if they are battling for playoff spots but also if Tua Tagovailoa misses time yet again, Miami may be in for a long 2025.
I think the Bucs take care of business yet again and reach double digit wins for the second straight season.
Win (Record 10-6)
Week 18, Vs Carolina Panthers, Time TBA
The Bucs close out their 2025 season with their fourth divisional opponent in five weeks. This game may or may not matter to Tampa Bay at this stage in the season. There is a possibility they have the division already wrapped up but beating a division opponent especially at home is always nice.
All streaks must come to an end and I’m going to predict the Bucs rest some starters for the following week’s playoff game and drop their final game of the season to the Panthers.
Loss (Final Record 10-7)
So, there we have it. I think there is a solid chance this team wins the NFC South division yet again. They have the pieces in key spots to do it, now they have to go out and prove it.