Football is back. Here is the Buccaneers’ 2016 schedule.
The NFL football season is creeping close and closer, Buccaneers’ fans. Before we know it, Jameis Winston and company will be showing the world how they will improve from their 6-10 campaign. We have the draft, then OTA’s, training camp, and off we go!
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Well, fire the cannons, gang! The schedule has been released tonight. Here are the Bucs’ slate of 16 games (all times Eastern Time Zone):
WEEK 1: at Atlanta 1:00 PM
WEEK 2: at Arizona 4:05 PM
WEEK 3: vs. Los Angeles 4:05 PM
WEEK 4: vs. Broncos 4:05 PM
WEEK 5: at Carolina (MNF) 8:30 PM
WEEK 6: BYE
WEEK 7: at San Francisco 4:05 PM
WEEK 8: vs. Oakland 1:00 PM
WEEK 9: vs. Atlanta (TNF) 8:25 PM
WEEK 10: vs. Chicago 1:00 PM
WEEK 11: at Kansas City 1:00 PM
WEEK 12: vs. Seattle 4:05 PM
WEEK 13: at San Diego 4:25 PM
WEEK 14: vs. New Orleans 1:00 PM
WEEK 15: at Dallas 1:00 PM
WEEK 16: at New Orleans 1:00 PM
WEEK 17: vs. Carolina 1:00 PM
The schedule can be found for the entire league by clicking here.
As I initially take a look at the schedule, I notice that the Bucs got two primetime games. It is a bit surprising to see a team that finished 6-10 featured on primetime, but the matchups are good ones. Week five will see Winston and company really take a litmus test when they face the defending NFC champions on the national stage. Later on it’s the second matchup of the year against the Falcons, as Mike Smith hosts his former team on Thursday Night Football, though all teams do get one of those.
It will be a homecoming for Mike Smith in week one, as the Bucs fly to Atlanta to take on the Falcons. Smith will likely be looking to show his former team what they said goodbye to. Week four and week five in primetime are an interesting back to back set, as the Bucs take on both combatants from Super Bowl 50.
Now that will really show us how far the team has come.
Next: Five Potential Draft Day Trades for the Bucs
It is a step up in 2016, as the Bucs are tied for the fifth toughest schedule in the sport. It should be an interesting year, but one thing is for sure, football is coming back!