5 Early Predictions for Buccaneers' Week 1 Battle With Bengals: Rueben Bain Introduces Himself

NFL football is officially back, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to kick off their Week 1 routine on Monday before their Sept. 13 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.

There are plenty of things Bucs fans will be looking out for in their season opener. We're putting forward five predictions for the Bucs' matchup against the Bengals before the two teams hit the field exactly a week from now — and a few of them would make Bucs fans very happy if they come true.

Rueben Bain Gets at Least One Sack

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Rueben Bain Jr. (3) during the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Rueben Bain may not be a high sack player in the NFL. He wasn't in college, never eclipsing double-digit sacks throughout his career, and that short arm length everyone talks about may prevent him from finishing some pass-rushing reps at the next level.

That all being said, he should be a very high-pressure edge rusher with a considerable win rate, if what we've seen from him so far develops the way we think — and that's what the Bucs drafted him for. Cincinnati's offensive line has been suspect for some time now, and quarterback Joe Burrow, as good as he is, holds the ball longer than quite a few of the NFL's best signal callers.

All that is a recipe for disaster for the Bengals, and it might allow Bain to absolutely flourish next Sunday. We predict he will get at least one sack in Week 1 and properly introduce himself and what he can do to the NFL world.

Chris Godwin Leads the Bucs in Receiving Yards

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin (14) celebrates a first down against the Baltimore Ravens | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Tampa Bay will hopefully have their full receiver corps available to some extent for another in Week 1. But Emeka Egbuka is still recovering from a toe strain and Jalen McMillan has a knee injury, so both could be limited even if they do play in Week 1.

That would leave veteran wideout Chris Godwin to the spoils. Godwin is arguably healthier than he has been in the last few years, and he's set to play the slot role in a Zac Robinson offense that values that role quite highly. He's a trustworthy target that quarterback Baker Mayfield will be able to lean on early and often, and we expect just that to happen in Week 1.

Godwin has played in and excelled in plenty of Week 1 matchups over his career, and we think he'll do just the same next Sunday.

Josiah Trotter Leads the Team in Tackles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Josiah Trotter (45) in action against the New York Jets during the first half | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There's been plenty of hype around Buccaneers' second-round pick Josiah Trotter. The linebacker out of Missouri is poised to earn a starting spot alongside Alex Anzalone in Week 1, and from what we've seen this offseason, we think he'll make the most of it.

Trotter has shown to be an instinctive run defender who hits gaps fast with a lot of force, and he's also proven to be an effective blitzer. Head coach Todd Bowles should be able to use him in a number of ways this season, but he should be particularly good at plugging gaps and helping to shut down the run.

We see a lot of tackles for loss in Trotter's future, and we think it will manifest early. We're predicting him to lead the team in tackles after his first outing as a Buccaneer, so Bengals running backs beware.

Baker Mayfield Throws 2-Plus Touchdowns

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) drops back to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mayfield has been known to start off hot during season openers in Tampa Bay. He's thrown two or more touchdowns in all three of his season openers with the Bucs so far (nine total across those three games), and there's no reason to believe that he won't do it again this year.

Mayfield is coming off an offseason where he didn't get the contract extension he was looking for, so he'll be set on playing very good football to earn that money this season. With some rejuvenation from Zac Robinson's offense and a weaker Bengals secondary, Mayfield could pop off Week 1.

He'll have Godwin, Ted Hurst and his two pass-catching running backs in Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell at his disposal, so we think he'll show out once again.

The Bucs Win Their Season Opener

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles looks on before a preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Buccaneers have won their last four season openers under head coach Todd Bowles. This Bengals team is known to start out slow, too, so the Bucs have another historical precedent there as well.

We think the Bucs win their first season opener and start the season off on the right note with a 1-0 record.

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