Tampa Bay Buccaneers finalize list of opponents for 2023 season
The Buccaneers clinched the NFC South Division with a victory against the Carolina Panthers in Week 17. That made Sunday afternoon's loss to the Atlanta Falcons virtually meaningless as Tampa Bay prepares to host the Dallas Cowboys next Monday. However, there was another game yesterday that did have some meaning as the Philadelphia Eagles held on against the New York Giants to win the NFC East.
Philadelphia's victory essentially finalized the Buccaneers' schedule for 2023. As division winners, the team will take on the champions from the NFC East (Philadelphia), NFC West (San Francisco) and AFC East (Buffalo). The 17 opponents also include the normal six divisional matchups plus contests with all four teams from the NFC North and all four teams from the AFC South.
Tampa Bay will play nine games on the road since it's the AFC's turn to host all the 17th games that were added last year. The schedule is ripe with a variety of quarterbacks that range from established names, to rising stars, to potential new starters.
The franchise will potentially have to face off with a trio of MVP candidates away from the friendly confines of Raymond James Stadium. Buffalo's Josh Allen and Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts are two of the best in the game. Three-time MVP Aaron Rodgers will be on the list as well if he re-signs with Green Bay. The Buccaneers will catch rising names such as Chicago's Justin Fields and Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence at home.
On the flip side, it's possible that all three division opponents have new starters. Rookie Desmond Ridder started the last four games for Atlanta but the Falcons will have one of the top picks in the upcoming draft. Carolina has options such as Sam Darnold to work with but could explore the draft or free agency depending on how the coaching search transpires. New Orleans is a confusing situation after Jameis Winston began the year as the starter but was benched in favor of Andy Dalton.
Other opponents such as Houston, Tennessee, and Indianapolis could sport new quarterbacks as well. The Texans hold the No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft. There's also the curious case of the San Francisco 49ers, who have a decision to make this offseason between 2021 first-round pick Trey Lance, veteran Jimmy Garoppolo, and rookie Brock Purdy.
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