Not worried about past records.

So yesterday when the Bucs had what the team referred to as a “bonus” practice, all the ca-ca about training camp and who will or won’t make the 53-man roster and all that was out the window.

Week 1 of the 2026 season is here. The focus was on Cincinnati and Todd Bowles was asked about how much time he has spent on the Bengals.

Some coaches start in the spring working on a Week 1 opponent in each practice, at least a little bit.

Bowles didn’t disagree that he’s had his mind on the Bengals for a while but he said he doesn’t stay awake all hours of the night watching Cincinnati tape. You know, paralysis by analysis? Instead, Bowles likes to emphasize his team’s work that he can somewhat control.

Bowles knows how to get his team ready for a season. In every year Bowles has guided the Bucs, the team has gone 2-0 to begin the season (last year they jumped out to a 3-0 record).

The same cannot be said for Zac Taylor in Cincinnati. The Bengals coach has won just two season-openers in his seven seasons. And last year was the first time Taylor’s Bengals won their first two games of the season. (It all went to hell after that, with the Bengals losing 10 of their next 12 games. Joe Burrow was hurt for half of those games. He was 3-3 as a starter to close the season.)

Speaking yesterday before the local pen and mic club, Bowles dismissed all those numbers.

“I don’t think you can put too much stock in it,” Bowles said. “Every year is a different year. We just got off to a good start the past couple, and obviously it means nothing going into this game on Sunday.

“So we got to prepare like we need to prepare and play like we got to play.”

This Bengals opening-day stats might be a little different if Taylor was 0-6 in Week 1 games. He’s not. And, one could argue that the law of averages will catch up to Bowles sooner or later in Week 1.

While Bowles is 4-0 in Week 1 games with the Bucs, he’s also winless against the AFC North.

Joe believes Bowles is right. If the cornerbacks of the Bucs don’t play high-level football on Sunday guarding Ja’Marr and Tee Higgins, Joe Burrow will have a field day.