Predicting the Buccaneers' 2026 Record: A Week-by-Week Breakdown

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have some work to do in 2026. They made the playoffs from 2020-24, but a bad losing streak at the end of last season saw them miss out for the first time in a while. Now, they're looking to get back on top of the NFC South and make the playoffs again, but it won't be easy.

Tampa Bay's schedule was revealed with the rest of the league's on Thursday, and it features three prime time games and a Week 10 bye that could be advantageous. It's up to the Bucs to make the most of those games, though, and there are a few other opponents on the schedule that could give them trouble.

The Bucs' offseason program is continuing with OTAs at the end of May, and although it's early, it's never too early for some bold predictions. Now that we have the schedule, we're going to predict every Bucs game week by week and see where we think the team will land when it comes to the postseason and beyond.

Here's what our predictions look like this year:

Week 1, at Cincinnati Bengals: W (1-0)

The Bengals don't usually start out too hot, and the Bucs have won every season opener they've played since 2020. Even on the road, the math works out for the Bucs, and they'll get their first win over Joe Burrow and the Bengals to start the year off.

Week 2, vs. Cleveland Browns: W (2-0)

It's a Baker Mayfield revenge game. This is the first time the Bucs will play Cleveland with Mayfield at the helm, and it shouldn't take too much effort to pull out the win here — the Browns don't have a talented roster on either side of the ball. Mayfield gets revenge and the Bucs are 2-0.

Week 3, vs. Minnesota Vikings: L (2-1)

Tampa Bay's first loss comes in Week 3. They'll be playing a Vikings team with Kyler Murray at the helm, and even average QB play will allow the Vikings to take advantage of weapons like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Brian Flores' vaunted Vikings defense will cause even more havoc, and the Bucs won't be able to keep up.

Week 4, vs. Green Bay Packers: L (2-2)

The Packers could boast an even stronger offense with quarterback Jordan Love and head coach Matt LeFleur running the show. The Packers stocked up on defense during the draft and free agency, and the team that made the playoffs last year could be even better. The Bucs will have an advantage with the heat against Green Bay, but it won't be enough to get the win.

Week 5, at Dallas Cowboys: L (2-3)

The Bucs have not fared well on prime time under Todd Bowles, going 1-9 since 2023. The Cowboys' offense was among the best in football last year, and the Bucs bring a questionable secondary and rookies at prominent defensive positions into this matchup. The Bucs lost the last time they headed to Dallas in prime time, and unfortunately, the trend continues here.

Week 6, vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: W (3-3)

The Bucs bounce back after a three-game skid against a Steelers team without much identity heading into this season. Should Aaron Rodgers be the quarterback, the Bucs could readily handle him with his inability to push the ball down the field or maneuver out of the pocket. Pittsburgh's defense shouldn't be too much trouble, either, so the Bucs get a home win to kick off a more positive streak.

Week 7, at Carolina Panthers: W (4-3)

The Panthers won the NFC South last year, and they retooled their defense to try and keep that momentum going. Bryce Young remains a huge question mark, however, and they lack other offensive weapons outside of Tet McMillan. The Bucs get revenge on Carolina in their first matchup and move to 4-3.

Week 8, vs. Atlanta Falcons: W (5-3)

The Falcons have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, but they continue to be plagued by quarterback play. Their newest answer is Tua Tagovailoa, and although Kevin Stefanski should be an upgrade at head coach, the Bucs should have the talent and firepower to take them down. The Bucs move to 5-3 with their first two divisional games notched into the win column.

Week 9, at Chicago Bears: L (5-4)

It'll be a cold Sunday Night Football game in Chicago in November, and the Bucs won't be up to the task. Quarterback Caleb Williams is improving every year and offensive guru Ben Johnson took the team to the Divisional Round of the playoffs in his first year as head coach. The Bears probably won't slow down this season, and they'll defend the Windy City at home.

Week 10, BYE (5-4)

The Bucs have a later bye to rest up and take on the back half of the season.

Week 11, at Detroit Lions: L (5-5)

The Bucs have had some trouble with the Detroit Lions in their past few matchups, and that will continue in 2026. The Lions disappointed last year, but they've added numerous pieces to their defense and still boast a talented offense with Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs. The Bucs beat the Lions in Motor City in 2024, but they'll drop this game in 2026.

Week 12, vs. Carolina Panthers: W (6-5)

The Bucs host the Panthers at home this time, and they're able to win again to complete the sweep.

Week 13, vs. Los Angeles Chargers: L (6-6)

The Chargers played very good football under Greg Roman's offense in 2025, and they've replaced Roman with a much, much better OC in Mike McDaniel. Their defense still has plenty of tools to compete, too, and the Bucs will probably struggle with their physical brand of football. Tampa Bay takes another loss.

Week 14, at Baltimore Ravens: L (6-7)

The Ravens have beaten the Bucs six times in a row since 2002, and this will be the seventh. The Ravens have an excellent roster with one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Lamar Jackson, and they also added vaunted pass rusher Trey Hendrickson in free agency. All that, combined with the fact that the game is on the road, will spell doom for Tampa Bay here.

Week 15, at New Orleans Saints: W (7-7)

The Bucs get the first one against the Saints on the road in what should be a tough contest. New Orleans will likely be the biggest competitor to Tampa Bay for the NFC South this year, and quarterback Tyler Shough could take a step up in his second year in Kellen Moore's system. These are always hard-fought games, but the Bucs take the divisional win here.

Week 16, at Atlanta Falcons: W (8-7)

The Bucs beat the Falcons once again in Atlanta. To this point in the season, they haven't lost a divisional game yet.

Week 17, vs. Los Angeles Rams: L (8-8)

The Rams have been another thorn in Tampa Bay's side for ages, and the Bucs will drop this one to Sean McVay's squad once again. The Rams, along with the reigning Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks, are arguably the NFL's best team heading into 2026, and they'll once again prove to separate Tampa Bay from the NFL's elite in this contest.

Week 18, at New Orleans Saints: L (8-9)

The Bucs lose their only divisional game of the year against the Saints in their final game after a demoralizing loss the week before. It creates an opposite scenario from 2025 — the Bucs won their final game last year, going 8-9 with a chance to still win the division, but this time around, they lose it without one.

Final Record: 8-9

The Bucs play a tough schedule. They made some improvements to areas of need in free agency and the NFL Draft, but those improvements likely won't be enough to completely turn the team around in 2026. Head coach Todd Bowles still has to prove he can truly win football games over the course of a season instead of cutting it close every year, and he may struggle to do that with uncertainty surrounding parts of this roster.

The Bucs could shock the league and prove everyone wrong, but it will be an uphill battle to do so.

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