Bucs Early Schedule Could Set Tone for Entire Playoff-Hopeful Season
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on a roll of four straight NFC South division championships, the most consecutive titles for any South division winning team since the New Orleans Saints also won four in a row from 2017-20.
On Wednesday, the NFL released each team's 2025 schedule, and the Buccaneers have an early stretch that could be important in the team's hope of making it five Sout titles in a row.
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Last year, Tampa Bay lost both games against the Atlanta Falcons, the biggest threat for the Buccaneers in the division title race in recent years, and it put the season in jeopardy.
This season, Tampa Bay opens against the Falcons in Atlanta in Week 1. That game could set an early tone for the rest of the season. Atlanta is in a similar state as the Buccaneers - a young team on the rise.
The two teams won't meet again until Week 15 in a Thursday Night matchup at Raymond James Stadium, and both could be in very different places in the standings.
Week 2 finds the Bucs on the road for the second straight week against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. The Texans are an upstart team that went 10-7 and won the AFC South. They also won their Wild Card game against the Chargers before losing to the Chiefs in the Divisional Round.
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The Texans could be a better early-season test for the Bucs than the Falcons were in Week 1.
The Buccaneers will then head home to host the New York Jets and new quarterback Justin Fields. While the Jets aren't predicted to be much of a factor in the AFC East next season, the team's opening game in Tampa will require a good showing.
The first huge test for the Bucs will come in Week 4 against the reigning Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles at Raymond James Stadium. It's a 1 p.m. ET game at the end of September, so there's the potential for some hot temperatures.
The Bucs' revamped defense will have an opportunity to either shine or fall apart against the Eagles' offense.
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If the Bucs can get through the first four games of the season at 3-1, then they could be set up nicely for the second quarter of the schedule before their Bye Week in Week 9.
Anything short of 3-1 and it could be a long first half of the season.
Related: Buccaneers BREAKING As 2025 NFL Schedule Becomes Official
Related: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Add Adrian Peterson in 2007 Re-Draft PFF Fantasy
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