Most Important Buccaneers Revenge Games on the 2026 Schedule

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a tough schedule in 2026. They're set to play two tough divisions in the AFC North and the NFC North, and their second-place opponents drawn from last year's results are tough matchups, too. The Bucs ideally want to beat every team on this schedule, but there are some matchups with some extra stakes.

Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is known to walk with a chip on his shoulder, and there will be plenty of opportunities for revenge on the schedule this year. Mayfield gets his own grudge match in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns, but we picked out three games that will serve as a chance for redemption from his Buccaneers tenure thus far.

Here are three revenge games to keep an eye on for the Bucs in 2026:

At Detroit Lions (Week 11)

David Montgomery (5) celebrates a touchdown against Dallas Cowboys | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions have had Tampa Bay's number in recent years. Counting the postseason, the Lions are 3-1 against Tampa Bay since 2023 and have played them every year in that time span. The most recent matchup came last year, when the Bucs got beaten in a 24-9 game that honestly wasn't even as close as that score would suggest.

The Lions misfired last season, but they retain a ridiculously talented offense. Their defense has more pieces to work with after a solid free agency and NFL Draft, and defensive coordinator Kevin Sheppard could have the ability to call more creative looks in 2026. This will be a tough game against a team that is always talented in the NFC, and for the Bucs, it's a chance to defeat an opponent that has been able to beat them quite a few times over the last three seasons.

At Baltimore Ravens (Week 14)

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) reacts with quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Bucs did not play the Ravens in 2025, and they're probably thankful for that. The Ravens have beaten the Bucs the last six times in a row they've played, and quite a few of those losses have been absolute drubbings. The last time the two teams played in 2024, the Ravens won 41-31 in a game they controlled from the jump — quarterback Lamar Jackson accounted for 333 total yards and a staggering five touchdowns.

It's impossible to tell where the Bucs will be at this point in the season, but the Ravens have one of the best rosters in football and retooled in a big way in free agency. This will be a huge benchmark for the Bucs at this stage of the year, and a win here would not only avenge a number of beatdowns but would also prove that the Bucs can hang with the NFL's elite.

This is an AFC game, though, so it doesn't matter nearly as much as the last game on our list does.

Vs. Los Angeles Rams (Week 17)

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay walks on field after the 2026 NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

The Bucs are in a similar situation with the Los Angeles Rams, who have been a franchise rival for a very long time. The Rams are 9-2 against the Buccaneers in their last 11 matchups, and in 2025, the Rams absolutely embarrassed Tampa Bay on national television in a 34-7 walloping.

The Rams are arguably the best team in football heading into 2026 alongside the Seattle Seahawks, who won the Super Bowl last year. Their roster is as strong as ever and they retained almost every key piece from last year, so they will be a tough team to play. The Rams have been the NFC's de facto Big Bad Wolf since Sean McVay came to Los Angeles in 2016, and any NFC team with a serious Super Bowl bid has to go through them to make it happen.

If the Bucs can knock off the Rams, especially this late in the season, they're probably in a very good spot to make some serious noise in the playoffs.

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