r_type=”none” hyperlink=”” border_sizes_top=”” border_sizes_bottom=”” border_sizes_left=”” border_sizes_right=”” first=”true”]
SR’s FAB 5 column on the Bucs is introduced by Gameday Males’s Well being
Males – do you’re feeling drained? Are you gaining weight regardless of understanding… scuffling with sleep, focus, or sexual efficiency? Do you know that 1 in 4 males over the age of 30 have low testosterone? And plenty of males don’t even understand it – and I didn’t both, which is why I’m on testosterone alternative remedy at age 53 and really feel like I’m 10 years youthful.
At Gameday Males’s Well being, low testosterone is shortly recognized and handled. Gameday affords a FREE testosterone check and session – with ends in minutes. Gameday focuses on testosterone alternative remedy, together with weight reduction, ED remedies, and peptides — all designed to assist optimize your well being and efficiency.
With 6 Tampa Bay space places in Westshore, South Tampa, Brandon, Palm Harbor, Largo, and Sarasota … getting began is EASY. Go to GamedayMensHealth.com at this time to schedule your FREE session. Really feel higher and get again within the sport with Gameday Males’s Well being!
INTRO: In final week’s SR’s FAB 5 I informed you that I consider the Bucs are nonetheless the very best and most proficient group within the division. However as we’ve seen with the Bucs in 2022 and even with the Panthers final yr, it’s presumably to win the lowly NFC South with eight wins and a dropping document. Is it doable for Tampa Bay to rebound and get again to 10 wins – or extra – in 2026? Sure, and I reveal what must occur for that to happen on this week’s SR’s FAB 5. Get pleasure from!
FAB 1. Can The Bucs Get Again To Double-Digit Wins In 2026?
Everyone knows the Bucs have been the kings of Crap Hill for fairly a while – up till final yr.
Let’s face it, whereas aggressive, the NFC South has been the worst division within the NFL from prime to backside for fairly a while.
For proof of that, look no additional than the division winner topping out at eight wins and ending with a dropping document in 2022 (Tampa Bay) and in 2025 (Carolina). In between these seasons, the Bucs received the NFC South win simply 9 wins in 2023 adopted by 10 wins in 2024.
It’s uncommon that nine-win groups make noise within the playoffs and advance deep into the postseason. The 2 occasions Tampa Bay has received the Tremendous Bowl it did so with a 12-4 document in 2002 and an 11-5 document in 2020. Seattle hoisted the Lombardi Trophy final yr after ending the common season at 14-3.
So after final yr’s injury-filled, underachieving hiccup, can the Bucs get again to their double-digit wins and obtain no less than 10 wins as they did throughout the 2024 season?
Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
I’m not going to count on any greater than that as a result of Todd Bowles has been a head coach for eight years within the league – 4 with the Jets and 4 with the Bucs – and he’s topped out at simply 10 wins. With a 1-3 document within the postseason in Tampa Bay, Bowles has but to show he’s an elite head coach able to fielding a really dominant group that may make a deep playoff run.
We noticed Liam Coen go throughout the state to the Jacksonville final yr with out taking any assistants with him and switch a 4-13 Jaguars group right into a 13-4 division winner. And we noticed Mike Macdonald go from 10-7 in his first season as head coach in Seattle to successful a Tremendous Bowl with a 14-3 document final yr – and doing so with newly acquired Sam Darnold at quarterback.
That’s elite teaching.
So till I see one thing completely different from Bowles, cap the Bucs’ win complete at 10 for me. However can they rebound and win 10 video games this yr?
In final week’s SR’s FAB 5 column, I stated the Bucs had been the very best group within the NFC South – and I nonetheless consider that. I feel Tampa Bay has probably the most proficient roster when wholesome.
However that doesn’t imply that they’ll win probably the most video games in 2026.
I’ve stated it earlier than – teaching issues. All the pieces from participant improvement within the offseason and coaching camp, to game-planning and scheme in-season throughout the week, to play-calling and sport administration on gamedays.
Bucs HC Todd Bowles and CBs coach Rashad Johnson – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Does Bowles have what it takes in that space to have the Bucs break by way of a 10-win ceiling in Tampa Bay? And did he make the precise assistant hires when setting up his 2026 teaching employees?
We’ll discover out in a matter of months.
The Saints have one of many league’s best schedules primarily based on groups’ information from a yr in the past, though the NFL schedule-makers didn’t do them any favors with New Orleans opening at Detroit and at Baltimore the primary two weeks of the season. If Kellen Moore develops Tyler Shough into being the true deal at quarterback, and Brandon Staley’s protection continues to enhance I feel the Saints may really be the most important menace to the Bucs within the division slightly than the Panthers.
Now that the 2026 schedule is out, I’m not going to make any win-loss predictions at the moment. I all the time wait till after coaching camp and the preseason to see how wholesome the Bucs are, and to see how the brand new additions have gelled with the mainstays on the roster.
After a 10-win marketing campaign in 2024 I predicted an 11-win season final yr. It seemed just like the Bucs had been effectively on their approach to attaining that with a 6-2 document heading into the bye. Nobody noticed the 2-7 collapse coming, and final yr’s dwelling stretch of Arizona, New Orleans, Carolina, Atlanta, Miami and Carolina ought to have produced a much better document than 2-4 given these opponents’ rosters and information.
Bucs WR Chris Godwin Jr. – Picture by: IMAGN Photos – Sam Navarro
If the Bucs couldn’t go 4-2 down the stretch final yr, I’m hesitant to suppose they may put up a document like that towards the likes of the Chargers, Ravens, Saints, Falcons, Rams and Saints within the closing six video games of the season this yr – particularly three of these video games on the highway. On paper proper now, going 3-3 towards that bunch nearly looks as if wishful considering.
Tampa Bay’s schedule appears to be like favorable at first, beginning at Cincinnati after which internet hosting Cleveland, Minnesota and Inexperienced Bay. Right here’s the loopy factor – if the Bucs begin 3-1 and even end with a really mediocre 6-7 document the remainder of the way in which, that will get them to 10 wins.
So long as they don’t backside out down the stretch once more.
And 10 wins ought to as soon as once more make Tampa Bay the king of Crap Hill.
On this week’s SR’s FAB 5, I’m going to provide you my ideas on Tampa Bay’s 2026 schedule, focus on the three key elements to the Bucs presumably getting again to double-digit wins this season, in addition to what should occur at dwelling for this group to really contend for a Tremendous Bowl.
Let’s sort out these matters.
FAB 2. Bucs Ought to Have A Favorable Begin Once more This 12 months
The NFL schedule makers made it as straightforward as doable for the Bucs to as soon as once more begin the season sizzling.
Whereas four-game dropping streaks appear to be Todd Bowles’ kryptonite, his super-power is 2-0 begins. Tampa Bay has began the season 2-0 in every of the 4 years he’s been the group’s head coach, together with a formidable 3-0 mark on the highway in Week 1.
Cincinnati has gone 2-4 in season openers since drafting Joe Burrow in 2020, together with a 1-2 mark at dwelling throughout that span. After a highway journey to face the Bengals to begin the season, the Bucs return dwelling for 3 straight video games at Raymond James Stadium versus the Browns, Vikings and Packers.
The Browns protection ought to be potent, however who is aware of who will begin at quarterback in Cleveland for brand spanking new head coach Todd Monken.
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Picture by: USA At present
The Vikings completed 9-8 final yr, together with 5 straight wins to the top the season. However is J.J. McCarthy the true deal after throwing 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions? Or will Kyler Murray be beginning by the point Minnesota involves Tampa Bay?
The Packers completed 9-7-1 final yr, which was sufficient to get them within the playoffs. However Inexperienced Bay light down the stretch with 4 straight losses to finish the season after a 9-3-1 begin, after which misplaced to the Bears at Chicago within the Wild Card spherical.
Something lower than 3-1 document to begin the 2026 season would appear like a failure for Tampa Bay. And getting off to a superb begin can be crucial as a result of the Bucs’ schedule will get tougher after the bye week, which is well-placed in Week 10.
Fortunately the Bucs don’t have any back-to-back highway video games this yr for the primary time in 35 years, and there aren’t any journey challenges both, because the group faces each Los Angeles groups in Tampa Bay this yr. The furthest journeys can be two-and-a-half hour aircraft rides to Detroit and Dallas, which is as far west because the Bucs will head in 2026.
Someway the Bucs dodged a world sport abroad, in addition to a doable Christmas or Thanksgiving video games – particularly because the group has highway video games at each Detroit and Dallas this yr. Usually, talking this can be a favorable schedule – so long as the Bucs don’t crash and burn down the stretch after the bye week this yr.
Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs and Bucs S Antoine Winfield Jr. Picture by: USA At present
Having the bye week to organize for a highway journey to see the Lions in Week 11 hopefully helps, as Detroit has had Tampa Bay’s quantity in recent times. Then it’s a giant Monday Evening Soccer sport at dwelling towards the Panthers, adopted by one other dwelling sport versus the Chargers.
After that it’s two difficult foes – the Ravens and the Rams – combined in with a sport at Atlanta and two video games towards the Saints, together with the season finale at New Orleans.
That appears a bit perilous, but when the Bucs are literally going to stand up and get again to double-digit wins this yr, they’re going to need to beat some good groups alongside the way in which. Simply as they did in 2024 after they beat Washington in Week 1, received at Detroit in Week 2 after which beat Philadelphia, the eventual Tremendous Bowl champion, in Week 4.
Tampa Bay has confirmed it may be formidable early within the season. Look no additional than successful at Seattle in Week 5 and beating San Francisco in Week 6 final yr.
However can Bowles’ Buccaneers end? That continues to be to be seen.
FAB 3. 3 Buccaneers Who Should Step Up To Get This Staff To 10 Wins
Normal supervisor Jason Licht and the group’s personnel division have achieved a superb job of bolstering the Bucs’ depth at a number of key positions and elevating the ground of the expertise on the roster this offseason.
At first look, head coach Todd Bowles appears to have actually upgraded the teaching employees with a number of new assistants and new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and new particular groups coordinator Danny Smith.
The Bucs have a extra proficient roster in 2026 than they did a yr in the past – even with the departure of 32-year outdated receiver Mike Evans and the retirement of 36-year outdated linebacker Lavonte David. And it’s honest to say that Tampa Bay’s roster is much more proficient than it was in 2024 when the group went 10-7 and final received the NFC South.
Rueben Bain Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Tez Johnson, Ted Hurst, Al-Quadin Muhammad, A’Shawn Robinson, Alex Anzalone, Kenneth Gainwell and David Walker weren’t on that 2024 group.
Bucs OC Zac Robinson – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Whereas the improve expertise is essential, together with the Bucs hopefully being more healthy this yr (cross your fingers), rebounding from eight wins again to 10 will largely fall on the shoulders of three males in Tampa Bay.
Bowles, Robinson and quarterback Baker Mayfield. The seasons that trio places forth will go a great distance in figuring out how Tampa Bay fares in 2026.
Merely put:
• Robinson’s offense have to be nearly as good as Liam Coen’s was in 2024.• Mayfield must play at a really excessive stage as he did that season.• Bowles’ protection should play higher than it did in 2024.
If these three issues occur the Bucs ought to hit double-digit wins and recapture the NFC South title.
For Robinson, whose greatest pal is Coen, he must shift the Bucs’ floor sport into overdrive like Coen was in a position to in 2024 when Bucky Irving ran for over 1,000 yards and scored eight touchdowns as a rookie. Search for Robinson to diversify the speeding assault and introduce extra vast zone ideas to combine in with gap-duo runs to make the Bucs’ run sport much less predictable.
Former Bucs OC Liam Coen, QB Baker Mayfield and HC Todd Bowles – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Not solely did Tampa Bay have a prime 5 speeding assault underneath Coen in 2024, it additionally had a prime 5 scoring offense, averaging 29 factors per sport. Robinson has a greater offensive line and higher receiving corps than he did in Atlanta, in addition to a greater quarterback to work with.
Mayfield was a giant a part of the offense producing 29 factors per sport two seasons in the past. Granted he was tied for the league lead in interceptions with 16, however Mayfield additionally threw a career-high 41 touchdowns, which was the second-most in franchise historical past.
Simply as essential, Mayfield was tremendous correct, finishing a franchise-record 71.4% of his passes in 2024. That stage of accuracy saved the chains transferring on third downs. As a substitute of drives stalling out for subject targets in or close to the pink zone, the Bucs had extra touchdowns as a result of Mayfield was extra prolific in 2024.
As for Bowles, he doesn’t have to interrupt in a rookie play-caller this yr like he needed to with Dave Canales in 2023, Coen in 2024 and Josh Grizzard final yr. He can simply concentrate on being the group’s defensive play-caller and that’s the place his consideration must be.
Bowles’ protection has been underwhelming since 2023 when Tampa Bay had a prime 5 scoring unit, permitting simply 19.2 factors per sport. The Bucs slipped to seventeenth in scoring protection in 2024 (22.7 ppg) and ranked twentieth final yr (24.2 ppg).
The Bucs overhauled their defensive entrance this offseason, and that ought to assist cease the run and rush the passer higher this yr. Bowles has proven he can dial up some defensive masterpieces in recent times. The 32-9 win over the Eagles within the Wild Card sport in 2023 and the 20-16 Week 2 win at Detroit in 2024 are latest examples of that.
Lions HC Dan Campbell and Bucs HC Todd Bowles- Picture by: USA At present
However extra expertise on the defensive facet of the ball this yr, Bowles wants to return by way of with three or 4 epic video games the place his protection dominates. And Robinson must have three or 4 dominant play-call outings like Coen had in 2024 with the 37-20 win over the Commanders, the 33-16 win over the Eagles, the 51-27 demolition of the Saints and the 40-17 annihilation of the Chargers.
Improbable teaching, schemes and play-calling must account for no less than six wins this yr. Mayfield must have a couple of masterful video games with a number of touchdowns to assist Robinson obtain that on offense.
After which the Bucs’ on-field expertise, toughness and grit by Mayfield and the remainder of the group wants to return by way of and win three to 4 hard-fought video games just like the group did final yr versus the likes of playoff groups, such because the Texans, Seahawks and 49ers.
That’s what has to occur for the Bucs to get again to being a extremely good group just like the 2024 squad that received 10 video games and posted seven wins by 13 factors or extra that yr.
FAB 4. Can The Bucs Defend The Bay?
One other equation within the Bucs’ try and rebound in 2026 and get again to double-digit wins is how effectively this group defends the house turf at Raymond James Stadium.
“Defend The Bay” was a advertising slogan from yesteryear – I neglect which season. However that must be the mindset for Todd Bowles and his Buccaneers in 2026.
Beneath the Bowles the Bucs haven’t had a homefield benefit in anyway. Tampa Bay has been very mediocre at dwelling.
The Bucs had been 4-4 at dwelling final yr, in addition to throughout the 2023 season. The perfect dwelling document that Tampa Bay has had underneath Bowles got here in 2024 when the group went 5-4 at Raymond James Stadium en path to a 10-7 document.
Technically the Bucs went 5-4 at dwelling throughout Bowles’ first yr when the group completed 8-9, however a kind of wins got here in Munich, Germany. Tampa Bay was 4-4 at Ray-Jay that yr, which was Tom Brady’s closing season within the NFL.
The Bucs have six video games towards 5 groups who made the playoffs final yr, together with NFC South division-winner Carolina, whom Tampa Bay performs twice. Inexperienced Bay, Pittsburgh, the Los Angeles Chargers and the L.A. Rams are the opposite 4 groups.
Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
However it’s actually as much as this group to make a stand at dwelling and ship the season ticket holders dwelling proud of extra wins than losses.
If the Bucs wish to get again to 10 wins in 2026, successful a majority of the house video games is paramount – identical to they did in 2024. But when Tampa Bay has designs on one thing larger than a 10-win season, Ray-Jay should turn out to be a spot the place opponents come to lose.
Jon Gruden’s 2002 Tremendous Bowl squad went 12-4 and posted a 6-2 document at dwelling. Bruce Arians, Brady and the Bucs went 5-3 at dwelling in 2020 on their approach to successful the second Tremendous Bowl in franchise historical past. The following yr, Tampa Bay received 13 video games, probably the most in group historical past, and completed with a franchise-best 7-1 dwelling document.
For the Bucs to win no less than 10 video games this yr, it appears like they should win no less than six out of their 9 video games at dwelling after which go 4-4 on the highway.
FAB 5. SR’s Buc Pictures
• Talking of dwelling information, the Bucs have by no means gone undefeated at dwelling in any of their 50 seasons. The perfect dwelling document was 7-1, which got here throughout the 13-4 season in 2021. And it’s loopy to suppose that their lone dwelling loss at Raymond James Stadium got here by the hands of the Saints in a 9-0 defeat.
With Taysom Hill at quarterback.
That’s proper – Taysom Hill, who accomplished 13-of-27 passes (48.1%) for 154 yards and ran 11 occasions for simply 33 yards. The Bucs outgained the Saints, 302-212 yards, however misplaced the turnover battle 2-0 on December 19.
Bucs NT Vita Vea and Saints QB Taysom Hill – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Tom Brady was sacked 4 occasions and fumbled, and the Saints protection gave Chris Godwin Jr. a season-ending knee harm and knocked Mike Evans and Leonard Fournette out of the sport by the third quarter with accidents. Regardless of enjoying effectively defensively and holding the Saints to only three subject targets, the Bucs misplaced their solely common season dwelling sport that yr in such bizarre and brutal trend.
• Tampa Bay’s cross rush higher be buzzing in Week 1 because the group kicks off the 2026 season at Cincinnati towards quarterback Joe Burrow. The Bengals have one of many extra harmful duos at vast receiver in Professional Bowler Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Chase had 125 catches for 1,412 yards and eight touchdowns final yr, whereas Higgins caught 59 passes for 846 yards and 11 scores.
Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase and former Bucs CB Carlton Davis III – Picture by: USA At present
The Bucs will both be beginning Jacob Parrish or Benjamin Morrison – each second-year gamers – reverse Zyon McCollum. And Tampa Bay may have rookie Keionte Scott enjoying within the slot because the group’s nickelback.
Rueben Bain Jr. and Co. higher be able to dominate in Week 1. Cincinnati’s tackles, Orlando Brown Jr. and Amarius Mims, mixed to permit 13 sacks final season.
• Need to discover out who stood out in final week’s Bucs rookie mini-camp? Discover out in my newest Pewter Pulse video: Bucs Rookie Mini-Camp Standouts And Stars
Examine Out Zyon McCollum And Jason Licht On The Pewter Report Podcast
Pewter Report had a pair of Buccaneers on this week’s Pewter Report Podcast. On Monday, cornerback Zyon McCollum joined the present, and on Wednesday we had almost an hour with normal supervisor Jason Licht to debate the group’s draft class, undrafted free brokers and get his ideas on Tampa Bay’s 2026 roster.
Take a look at these movies on our PewterReportTV YouTube channel this weekend should you missed them.
