Christmas, Spain & Primetime Bucs Dreams (?)
May 6th, 2025
So the Buccaneers’ 2025 schedule will be revealed in eight days (May 14) and every Tampa Bay fan with a pulse is excited.
Some might be concerned.
How will NFL schedule makers treat the Bucs and what might Team Glazer be able to influence?
For Christmas Day, a Thursday, the NFL is planning a triple-header. Well, Joe knows the Bucs have been among the NFL teams volunteering to host a Christmas Day game in past seasons. Not every team is keen on hosting, in part because of staffing considerations (police, stadium attendants, etc.).
Joe assumes the NFL likely wants a cold-weather venue for a Christmas night game in hopes of snow, so might a day game on a Thursday help or hurt the Bucs? Joe’s not sure.
Then there’s the possibility of the Bucs playing a road game in Spain against the “host” Dolphins.
Man, Joe sure hopes the Bucs don’t get stuck with an international game. They have a way of screwing a team up.
The Bucs went 3-5 after leaving Germany in 2022, and Todd Bowles apparently left his mind in Munich. Anyone remember Cleveland two weeks later?
Long-time Bucs fans also remember how the Bucs imploded after a trip to England in 2011 and lost every game the rest of the season. Jameis Winston lost his mind in England back in 2019 and threw five interceptions.
And then there is the Bucs and night games. That’s an X-factor. The Bucs have lost 5 of their last 6 night games in the regular season. Coincidence? Not a chance.
Joe’s greatest hope with the schedule is for the Bucs to get the division opponents relatively early. They’re all banking on a lot of new players and are unlikely to be on solid footing.
Also, Joe would love to see the Bucs get a tough opening day opponent. Bowles has mastered having his team ready for Week 1. How about Buffalo on the road?
Bucs 2025 Opponents
Home games
Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
New York Jets
Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers
Road games
Atlanta Falcons
Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
Los Angeles Rams
Miami Dolphins
New Orleans Saints
Seattle Seahawks
May 6th, 2025 at 11:03 am
I think this Joe knows about the international game without spoiling too much.
May 6th, 2025 at 11:08 am
Yeah, Grizz has got to get a few games under his belt before going to Buffalo. Say week 5 or later for at the Bills
May 6th, 2025 at 11:09 am
*Neah ughh autocorrect
May 6th, 2025 at 11:16 am
I have a pulse and I literally yawn at schedule release. We already know who they play. The only question is when (and where?). I don’t care about the schedule. Just win.
May 6th, 2025 at 11:42 am
Division rivals usually end the season. This adds to the drama of each division race. Bucs will end last 3 weeks with at least 2 division games.
May 6th, 2025 at 11:55 am
Im almost positive they will put Atlanta last this year.
Philly and Buffalo will be Prime Time.
I think the 49ers and Detroit should too.
Usually one Atlanta game too.
My guess is 5 Prime Time games and no international games this year.
May 6th, 2025 at 11:55 am
I would actually like to see them play in Spain. That would be cool. Forget the multi-year stats. Each year, different players, different coaches. The organization and owners don’t directly influence outcomes. It’s just coincidence, whether or not you want to accept it.
May 6th, 2025 at 12:07 pm
I hate nationally televised games, they are always at night, and it takes away our advantage of having teams die in the heat
May 6th, 2025 at 12:07 pm
Only two Freezing road games:
Buffalo and Seattle.
Wishing those were in September or October
May 6th, 2025 at 12:12 pm
Bucs play 5 2024 Playoff teams. 6 Games against teams that won 5 or less.
5 Games against teams with 6-8 wins. 1 Game against Seattle 10 win team that just missed the playoffs.
As far as Division Winners Ravens and Chiefs were left off the Bucs Schedule (fortunately)because that is for sure a Prime Time Game any day of the week. Only exception would be the AFC Championship rematch with the Chiefs @ Bills.
Bucs @ Lions will be Fox Game of the Week because it’s the Lions
Eagles @ Bucs might be a Thursday Night Primetime game.
Bucs @ Rams will probably be another Fox game of the week where Brady can be in House with the rest of the Sunday Fox cast.
Bucs @Bills could be anther Thursday game and some here might say it’s a Super Bowl Preview. That would be a stretch at this point in time.
After those 4 games there is not a lot that scream big viewership.
Should the Division be super close there might be a game Flexed in at the end.
If Bucs play in Europe may there be a seat on the plane for Joe? Plenty of Hooters in Europe including Spain.
May 6th, 2025 at 12:15 pm
I’m hoping it’s the Aints and we lose then win Super Bowl like the last 2 times
May 6th, 2025 at 12:18 pm
With American Airlines sure, for a price.
May 6th, 2025 at 12:29 pm
14-3
May 6th, 2025 at 12:32 pm
so, 5-3 or 6-2 at home, 4-5 or 5-4 on the road, somewhere between 11-6 and 9-8 hmmm
May 6th, 2025 at 1:05 pm
The defense will be improved. If the offense can duplicate last year’s success they will win 11-12 games.
May 6th, 2025 at 1:49 pm
Night games on national TV are typically against better opponents so the mediocre record in night games is that simple.
If they play in Spain, I’m going. That would be awesome.
May 6th, 2025 at 1:50 pm
1. We will definitely have at least 3 divisional games in the back half of the season, probably towards the final month or so. The NFL has shown in recent years it loves having a lot of division battles at the end of the season, possibly deciding division winners / playoff seedings.
2. Night games / primetime games have been a curse even through the Brady years with Arians. We just don’t perform well, no matter who is in charge. And that sucks, because primetime games are exciting!
3. At least X-mas is on a Thursday this year, but I’m not a fan of an extra short week, especially that late in the season.
4. More than anything, I just want a bye week that is week 8 or later. No early bye week!
May 6th, 2025 at 2:20 pm
12-5 or 13-4