Pewter Report’s PR Roundtablepresented by PrizePicks
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A brand new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts each Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Every week, the Pewter Reporters sort out one other robust Bucs query. This week’s immediate: Which 2026 Bucs sport ought to be in primetime?
Scott Reynolds: Bucs Ought to Play The Panthers In Primetime – Residence Or Away
By way of the years we’ve seen the Bucs play the Saints and the Falcons loads of time in primetime, however its been a uncommon incidence for the Bucs and Panthers. The final Monday Evening Soccer sport between the 2 groups was again in 2016, and the final Thursday Evening Soccer assembly was in 2019. Tampa Bay and Carolina have by no means met on Sunday Evening Soccer. With the combating Dave Canaleses swiping the NFC South title away from Todd Bowles and Co. final 12 months resulting from a tiebreaker, it’s time to place a sport between the upstart Panthers and a Bucs staff combating to regain respect – and the division championship – in primetime.
And I actually don’t care if it’s house or away, both. I’d be advantageous with Tampa Bay beginning the season on the highway at Carolina on Monday Evening Soccer in Week 1, as we all know that received’t be a house sport for the Bucs resulting from a Bruno Mars live performance. Apart from the Bucs at all times play effectively initially of the season. Bowles is 8-0 within the first two weeks of the season since he took over as head coach in 2022 with six of these eight victories approaching the highway to begin the 12 months.
Bucs HC Todd Bowles and Panthers HC Dave Canales – Photograph by: IMAGN Pictures – Bob Donnan
Since Canales took over as head coach, the Bucs have been 3-1 versus his Panthers, however three out of these 4 video games have been extremely aggressive. The Bucs prevailed 23-20 in time beyond regulation in a 2024 win at Carolina, after which lastly beat the Bucs, 23-20 final 12 months in Charlotte earlier than Tampa Bay bought revenge in Week 18 with a slender 16-14 victory.
Each the Bucs and the Panthers made strides to enhance their rosters this offseason, as did the Saints. I can’t say the identical factor concerning the Falcons, who bought worse in my view. So whether or not the sport is in Carolina or Tampa Bay, and whether or not it’s on Thursday Evening Soccer, Sunday Evening Soccer or Monday Evening Soccer, it’s time that the nationwide highlight shifts to the highest two groups within the NFC South and provides this matchup its respect.
Canales vs. Bowles. Baker Mayfield vs. Bryce Younger in a battle of two former No. 1 general draft picks. Tetairoa McMillan vs. Emeka Egbuka. There are many nice storylines and matchups between the Bucs and the Panthers that the remainder of the nation ought to be clued into.
Matt Matera: Bucs Put On Bangers In opposition to The Chargers
The Bucs have confronted most of their 2026 opponents earlier than over the previous three to 4 seasons. They’ve gone towards everybody within the division, plus the Lions, Ravens, Cowboys and Rams have all been on this record. There are another good groups that the Bucs will see, together with the Bengals, Packers, and Bears, however I’ve my eye on the Chargers coming to Tampa Bay as a matchup I’d prefer to see in primetime.
There are some enjoyable storylines taking a look at on this matchup. It’s a fantastic take a look at for the Bucs protection to see if it has found out its points from a 12 months in the past. Los Angeles quarterback Justin Herbert is meant to be a prime quarterback within the league this 12 months however his offensive line has let him down. What a chance it will be for Rueben Bain Jr. to dominate on a nationwide highlight. Additionally, let’s keep in mind that Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel selected Los Angeles over Tampa Bay. We’ll discover out if he made the appropriate choice.
Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs and QB Baker Mayfield – Photograph by: Jeffrey Jones/PR
Throughout their latest matchups, the Bucs are inclined to ball out towards the Chargers. They’d an exhilarating, 40-17 dismantling of Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers two seasons in the past out in L.A. in what was a vital sport for the Bucs. The spotlight was a four-touchdwon efficiency by Baker Mayfield. The prior matchup earlier than that noticed the Bucs successful, 38-31. Tampa Bay has defeated the Chargers in its final 4 conferences, though solely two of them have been for the reason that Chargers moved to L.A.
The Bucs had 5 nationally televised video games final season. The primary three have been on the highway, one was on Thursday Evening Soccer at house, after which the season finale was positioned on a Saturday when the stakes have been a bit increased. Three of the 4 primetime video games they’d the 12 months earlier than have been additionally on the highway. It’s about time that they get extra primetime video games at house. Between the Bucs historical past towards the Chargers and the celebrities that every staff has, this appears like a fantastic bout to be nationally televised.
Adam Slivon: Bucs vs. Packers Would Be An Entertaining NFC Showdown
I utterly perceive the thought means of the Bucs taking part in in primetime towards an NFC South opponent. These video games provide essentially the most competitiveness and line as much as be high-stakes matchups. Nonetheless, after I consider the video games which might be given a marquee designation, it’s at all times entertaining to see them come towards the perfect of the perfect. That’s the reason a house sport towards the Packers ought to be given such scheduling.
Packers QB Jordan Love and Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photograph by: IMAGN Pictures – Jeff Hanisch
Placing my Wisconsin bias apart right here, Inexperienced Bay has constructed a powerful core of younger expertise whereas taking an enormous swing and buying and selling for a star participant final offseason in Micah Parsons. The offense, constructed round Jordan Love, finds methods to attain and is a potent, balanced assault. On the opposite aspect, the protection has a number of high-end playmakers who would line up effectively towards Tampa Bay’s assortment of offensive expertise.
Bear in mind — the final time these two groups squared off in December 2023, Bucs followers have been smiling ear to ear. Baker Mayfield had an ideal sport at Lambeau Subject, finishing 22 of 28 passes for 381 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 34-20 win. That victory got here in the course of a four-game successful streak that gave the staff some momentum in a late-season playoff push.
With the setting flipped to Raymond James Stadium this time round, it will give the staff an opportunity at placing on a present for the house crowd. It could even be extra of an old-school NFC Central rivalry. Maybe some throwback uniforms could be so as? In comparison with non-NFC South groups, the Bucs and Packers have a few of the most historical past with one another. A primetime matchup would solely add to that.
Bailey Adams: I Need One thing Totally different – Bucs vs. Bengals In Primetime
I’ve a few causes for wanting the Bucs and the Bengals to match up in primetime, and surprisingly, my admiration for Joe Burrow isn’t one among them.
On the one hand, I feel Tampa Bay and Cincinnati has the potential to be a really enjoyable sport. Burrow and a Cincinnati offense that options Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Chase Brown going toe to toe with Baker Mayfield and a Tampa Bay offense that features the likes of Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Bucky Irving ought to make for some thrilling offensive motion, and each defenses want to stage up in 2026 after disappointing for lengthy stretches over the previous few years. Each head coaches enter 2026 on the recent seat, too.
Bucs HC Todd Bowles, Bengals QB Joe Burrow and Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase – Photograph by: IMAGN Pictures – Kareem Elgazzar
However past the thrill of the matchup itself, I like the concept of Bucs vs. Bengals in primetime as a result of it’s one thing completely different. I’m bored with Tampa Bay taking part in Atlanta on Thursday Evening Soccer. It hasn’t been that lengthy since we noticed the Bucs and Saints in primetime regularly from 2020-2022. And seeing the Bucs towards the Rams, Lions, Ravens and Cowboys doesn’t do something for me on condition that we’ve seen these matchups underneath the lights loads in recent times.
That leaves the Packers, Vikings, Bears, Browns, Steelers, Bengals, Chargers and Panthers as choices for a contemporary primetime matchup. I’m good with a Tampa Bay vs. Carolina primetime contest, and Inexperienced Bay and Los Angeles are each okay choices, too. However Cincinnati presents a singular matchup for Tampa Bay – one which doesn’t occur all that usually. The 2 sides haven’t met within the common season since 2022, and the earliest it might occur once more is 2028. So, why not do one thing completely different in primetime for as soon as?
In my 2026 mock schedule, I used to be a tad bit hopeful in putting this matchup in primetime, doing so early on within the season on Monday Evening Soccer to maximise the probabilities each groups are taking part in for one thing and making an attempt to guard towards accidents robbing this sport of its star energy. But when I do know the NFL, we’ll see the identical sorts of matchups for Tampa Bay in these prime spots. One can hope for now, although.
Josh Queipo: Give The Bucs A Revenge Sport vs. The Saints In Primetime
The Bucs’ primetime video games over the previous few years have overwhelmingly been towards non-division opponents. The NFC South has been a little bit of a doormat for the remainder of the NFL. That tide could also be turning although. The Panthers simply made the playoffs as division champs final 12 months, the Saints went 4-1 in December of 2025, and the Bucs could also be again in 2026.
And that final level is why I’d like to see the Bucs host the Saints on Sunday Evening Soccer. The collection has by no means lacked for depth. Final 12 months Baker Mayfield publicly accused the Saints of taking part in soiled earlier than their Week 8 matchup. That’s not a rivalry that wants manufactured storylines. This story writes itself.
Bucs OLB Chris Braswell and Saints QB Tyler Shough – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
The Saints aren’t a completed product, however they’re an ascending one – and quarterback Tyler Shough is the explanation. After taking up for Spencer Rattler in Week 9, the rookie went 5-4 as a starter on a staff that had received six of its earlier 25 video games earlier than he bought the keys. He completed as a PFWA All-Rookie choice, the December/January Offensive Rookie of the Month, and an AP Offensive Rookie of the Yr finalist.
Shough’s 103.3 third-down passer ranking led your entire NFL – not simply rookies. That’s a younger quarterback with an actual chip on his shoulder coming into Yr 2, and primetime is the place you desire a quarterback like that on stage. And why not have him go head-to-head as soon as extra with Mayfield, however this time on a nationwide stage?
An ascending staff just like the Saints versus a Bucs staff with a monitor file of dangerous blood. Primetime is strictly the place you desire a matchup like that.
