Can't Miss Games For Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Fans in 2023
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
And for NFL fans, analyzing their favorite team's schedule before the season even begins can be a tantalizing exercise.
The beauty of the unknown.
With the first kickoff of the 2023 NFL season still weeks away, It represents a time of the year when each fanbase can justify their opinions with no objective data to support (or deny) their claims. It's a time when blind optimism can prevail over logic, and there's nothing anyone can say or do to change that.
At least until the season begins.
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Determining which games are 'can't miss', or 'must-watch' for a particular team is a very subjective activity. So with that being said, let's dive in and take a look at some of the games on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' schedule in 2023 that — in my opinion — should be appointment viewing for Bucs fans.
Week 2 | vs. Chicago | Sunday, September 17th (1:00pm)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to take a major step back this year. Most offseason power rankings, and all betting odds, have the Buccaneers projected to finish the season as a bottom 5 team in the NFL. The Bears, on the other hand, are widely expected to take a big step forward in 2023.
I think the fact that both of these teams are supposedly headed in opposite directions makes this an intriguing matchup, and a measuring stick game for the Buccaneers. If the Bucs are able to handle the Bears at home, it will serve as an early wakeup call to the rest of the league that just because Tom Brady is no longer dawning the pewter and red, it doesn't mean the rest of the Buccaneers have walked the plank.
Week 6 | vs. Detroit | Sunday, October 15th (1:00pm)
The Lions have the potential to be a problem in the NFC this year. GM, Brad Holmes, has done a phenomenal job re-building the roster over the last few seasons, and based on last year's performance, it's obvious that the leaders in the locker room have rallied around their head coach, Dan Campbell.
The Buccaneers will have some extra time to prepare for this game as they'll be coming off their extremely early, week 5 Bye. Not only will his matchup provide the opportunity for the Bucs to secure a statement win on the road, but they'll also be making an emphatic fashion statement when they re-introduce their orange creamsicle jerseys for this retro showdown in the Motor City.
Which if you ask me, is more than enough reason on its own to make this game a must-watch for Bucs fans.
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Week 8 | @ Buffalo | Thursday, October 26th (8:15pm)
I needed to add at least one AFC opponent to this list, and who better than the current version of the Buffalo Bills? This game in Orchard Park will undoubtedly be an uphill climb for the Bucs. They will, and should be, a heavy underdog in every betting market on the planet.
But any time your favorite team is playing in a stand-alone game on primetime television, there is an added level of excitement. Throw in the fact that no one will be picking the Buccaneers to win this game, and a 'nothing to lose' attitude can become an intoxicating vibe, not just for the players, but for the fanbase, too.
If nothing else, the Bills are an extremely fun team to watch on both sides of the ball. If the Buccaneers can somehow manage to hold their own — or dare i say, pull an upset — it will be an exhilarating experience for anyone with a rooting interest in Tampa Bay.
Week 13 | vs. Carolina | Sunday, December 3rd (1:00pm)
Every NFC South game this season will involve a certain level of excitement. Especially when you consider the fact that each team genuinely feels as though they have a shot at finishing the year atop the group.
That said, the first matchup between the Buccaneers and Panthers should hold a little extra intrigue. Carolina will be starting the number one overall pick from this year's NFL Draft, Bryce Young, who is aiming to rescue the franchise from its six-year playoff drought. Young will be matching up against Carolina's Week 1 starting quarterback from last year, Baker Mayfield, who is another former first-overall draft pick pick, but a Panther who was exiled from the pack shortly after joining.
Even though it doesn't take place until December, this will be the first matchup of the season between these two teams, and it could have significant implications for the NFC South race.
Week 15 | @ Green Bay | December 17th (1:00pm)
The last time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveled to Lambeau field to face off against the Packers, it ended up going down as one of the most iconic playoff victories in Buccaneers franchise history.
A lot has changed since then... For both teams.
That said, both the Bucs and Packers — despite losing their all-world quarterbacks from last season — are still rolling out rosters full of talented, experienced players on both sides of the ball.
And although the Buccaneers are expected to take a massive step back this year, a pessimistic forecast from the national media doesn't seem to be aimed in the direction of the Packers, as it has been for the Bucs. Although we'll have a very clear picture of what these teams are capable of by this point of the season, there's no reason to assume the Packers will be any better than the Buccaneers, especially in an NFC that is full of question marks.
Either way, 'The Battle of the Bays', at Lambeau, in December? Sign me up.
The quality of product that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are able to put onto the field in 2023 is yet to be determined. But one thing is for sure, their loyal fans will find a way to get excited for each game on the schedule, no matter what happened the week before.
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