It’s official. The Buccaneers now have their 2017 regular season schedule. They open up with a road trip to Miami on Sept. 10 and close with the Saints on Dec. 31. Which five games on the schedule will be the toughest for Tampa Bay?
The Buccaneers now know how things will line up on their schedule in 2017. After going 9-7 last season, the team will be looking to further build itself into a playoff contender. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson and defensive lineman Chris Baker were Tampa Bay’s two biggest free agent acquisitions. We’ll soon find out who makes up this year’s draft class. All signs point to the Bucs returning to relevance this season, but they play the games for a reason.
With that being said, which games will be the toughest for the guys in red and pewter this year? There are some big opportunities for the Bucs to prove themselves against perennial contenders, so there are quite a few marquee matchups on the schedule. This year, Tampa Bay has opponents from the NFC North, AFC East, as well as Arizona and New York in the NFC. That is, of course, in addition to the usual meetings with NFC South rivals.
Here, we take a look at the five toughest games on the 2017 schedule.
Week Six: Oct. 15 at Arizona Cardinals (4:05 p.m.)
It’s no secret that the Bucs tend to struggle whenever they make a trip to the West Coast. And no, no one has forgotten what happened when they visited Arizona in week two of the 2016 season. They stumbled early and struggled often in a 40-7 loss to the Cardinals. Arizona rode a 24-point second quarter to a blowout win. It’s a loss that Tampa Bay will be looking to avenge this season.
More from The Pewter Plank
- Devin White posts cryptic message to Lavonte David on Twitter
- ESPN predicts surprising outcome to Devin White trade saga
- Updated Buccaneers depth chart after signing two players from rookie minicamp
- Todd Bowles sends clear message about Baker Mayfield’s role with Bucs
- The Athletic is wrong about Bucs one ‘must-watch’ game in 2023
The matchup certainly won’t be an easy one, as the timing of the trip doesn’t favor the Bucs. It comes after a back-to-back games with the Giants and Patriots, while starting a stretch of three out of four games on the road. How the team starts the season will put a lot of weight into this one. If Tampa Bay can win at least two of its first three and then split the next two coming into week six, things may be a little more manageable. But if the team comes in struggling, there will be a lot of pressure on a team that has a lot of expectations riding on it.
The Cardinals may not be the current favorites to win the NFC, but a trip to Glendale is going to be a tough one for the Buccaneers.
Week Four: Oct. 1 vs. New York Giants (4:05 p.m.)
Two offenses with a whole lot of potential will collide in a matchup we just referenced in the previous slide. Tampa Bay signed DeSean Jackson in the offseason, adding him to a receiving corps that already features Mike Evans. New York made a splash of its own, adding Brandon Marshall to a group that already includes Odell Beckham Jr. Of course, the quarterback matchup itself is a good one. Jameis Winston will be looking for some revenge against Eli Manning after falling short in their last meeting in 2015.
This year’s meeting between the two will probably be high-scoring, so the Bucs will need to keep up. If they can get a strong performance out of their defense and get enough pressure on Manning, maybe things will swing in their favor. But that will be a big if, especially if Manning and Marshall are able to get on the same page before week four.
Tampa Bay hasn’t picked up a win over New York since 2003, making for a five-game losing streak. Dirk Koetter will need a top-notch performance from his team in all areas of the game if he wants that streak to be a thing of the past. The Giants were a wild card team last year and they will likely be near the top of the standings again this year. If the Bucs are going to get over the hump in 2017, games against teams like the Giants are ones that they’ll need to win.
Week 15: Dec. 18 vs. Atlanta Falcons (8:30 p.m.)
Tampa Bay will obviously play each team in the NFC South twice, but this Monday Night Football tilt with the defending NFC champions is the toughest one of those games. Not only will the Falcons be a tough opponent, but the bright lights of Monday Night Football will add some pressure as well. And, with this game coming so late in the season, it’s possible that this will have playoff or even division title implications.
Related Story: Buccaneers' 2017 Schedule Released
The Bucs have been somewhat hit-or-miss against the Falcons in recent years. Back in 2014, Tampa Bay was swept in the season series. The next year, it picked up a series sweep of its own. Then, in 2016, the teams split the two meetings. Especially now, it feels like the Bucs are ready to contend with the Falcons. This game will go a long way in determining whether the team really is over the hump. Of course, that also depends on Tampa Bay’s record coming into the game.
The connection between Matt Ryan and Julio Jones is one that is always difficult to stop. By week 15, the Bucs defense should know its identity. That unit will need a big day in front of a national audience to give the offense and its firepower a chance to make a big-time statement.
Week 13: Dec. 3 at Green Bay Packers (1 p.m.)
Oh, boy. The timing of this game didn’t work out for the Bucs at all. Historically, the team has not played well at all in cold weather. That makes this trip to Lambeau Field a monumental task for Tampa Bay. And that doesn’t even account for the opponent in the game.
The Packers are contenders year in and year out, fielding one of, if not the best quarterbacks in the league. Playing a team that’s as tough as Green Bay, on the road in 30-degree weather, is as difficult as it gets. It would be hard enough for the Bucs to beat Aaron Rodgers and co. at home in 85-degree weather. Factor together the cold weather, the hometown crowd and the skill of the Packers and you have a gigantic challenge.
Of course, this is another chance for Tampa Bay to prove itself. Jameis Winston will be up to the challenge, as will his receivers. The offensive line will need to stand tall and the running game will need to be a factor. If the defense is able to slow Rodgers, the offense could put up enough points, allowing the Bucs escape the “Frozen Tundra” with a season-defining win. If they can do that, it would signal that Tampa Bay truly has arrived.
Week Five: Oct. 5 vs. New England Patriots (8:25 p.m.)
Speaking of arriving… If the Bucs can win this game, start planning the parade. Okay, maybe not, but this is another huge chance for Tampa Bay to make a statement on a national stage. When New England comes to Raymond James Stadium on Thursday Night Football, everyone will be watching. And that’s saying something. Because at this point, it feels like no one watches Thursday night games anymore.
This is the toughest game on Tampa Bay’s 2017 schedule. It’s the New England Patriots. The defending Super Bowl champions. So, what else is there to say? Bill Belichick leads the way, Tom Brady executes just as well as anyone in the league and the defense is never soft. The Bucs will certainly have their work cut out for them. If they can come through, they will gain a great deal of respect around the league.
It really doesn’t help that Tampa Bay will only get three days of preparation for this game. The week four matchup with New York kicks off at 4:05, which means by the time that game ends, there will be just over 96 hours until the Bucs have to take the field again. That’s not a lot of time to recover. On the plus side, they won’t have to travel. But it’ll still be tough. It feels a whole lot like last year’s stretch that included a Sunday home game against Oakland before a Thursday night contest with Atlanta. That didn’t work out too well. It’ll be a brutally quick turnaround, one that will make this game even more difficult for the Bucs.
Next: Three Bucs Games Most Likely To Be Flexed
Which game do you think will be the toughest on the schedule, Bucs fans? Let us know in the comments, on Twitter or on Facebook.