From divisional grudges fueled by quarterback vendettas to high-stakes primetime clashes, discover which pivotal matchups will define Tampa Bay’s quest for NFC South dominance in 2026.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released their 2026 schedule and as with any schedule, some games are more exciting than others.
As always, Tampa will be playing six of its 17 games against divisional opponents.
The other 11 are made up of four games each against the AFC and NFC North, plus single games against AFC West, NFC East and NFC West opponents.
At this point, it’s hard to tell which of Tampa’s opponents will be good, which will be bad and which will be mediocre, but on paper, three matchups excite us moreso than the other 14.
Here’s a breakdown of the three.
Atlanta Falcons, Week 8, Raymond James Stadium
It could be argued that listing divisional games here would be a cop out. Of course the games against the Falcons, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints are going to matter more than the rest, and of course the rivalries there are stronger than they are with non-divisional opponents like the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys. But we’re making an exception for the Falcons because of Baker Mayfield and Kevin Stefanski. Stefanski was Mayfield’s coach in Cleveland from 2020-2021. Browns fans would prefer to remember the HC/QB duo for being the first in a more than a quarter century to win a playoff game with the team. But there were bad times, too, and Mayfield hasn't forgotten them.
Now, a feud between a player and an opposing head coach isn't likely to play out on the field the way a player vs. player feud might. At most, Mayfield may stare Stefanski down after throwing a touchdown pass the way he did to Hue Jackson in 2018. Still, the storyline is enough to get Bucs-Falcons a spot.
Dallas Cowboys, Week 5, AT&T Stadium
There's no spefific drama involving Mayfield and Dallas boss Brian Schottenheimer to spice this one up, but there will probably be drama because, well, these are the Dallas Cowboys. There aren't many franchises in professional sports that everybody cares about regardless of their team alligence, and "America's Team" falls into that category. The Bucs and Cowboys don't have a rivalry, but that doesn't stop plenty of Bucs fans from hating them, and beating Big D in "Jerry World" would feel sweeter than most wins.
With this only being Week 5, it's virtually a lock that the Bucs will still be in the NFC South picture, especially with three of the first four games being at home, so the risk of one of these teams following into irrelevancy isn't there the way it would be if, say, this game took place in Week 16.
The quality of play tends to suffer on Thursday Night Football, which could create some entertainment value as well. So, yeah, this will be a fun one.
Baltimore Ravens, Week 14, M&T Bank Stadium
If this season goes awry, the Bucs could be fighting for their playoff lives come Dec. 13.
But if the season goes the way it's supposed to, the Bucs will, at worst, be right in the hunt for the NFC South.
December is when everything fell apart for the Bucs last year, with a four-game losing streak ranking among one of the biggest embarssments in team history. Beating Lamar Jackson in company on the road would signal that the 2026 Bucs are the real deal.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!