Buccaneers vs. Vikings Week 1 start time, TV channel, streaming, odds: Everything you need to know
By Josh Hill
It's been a long offseason -- perhaps longer for Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans than anyone else -- but the regular season is finally here.
Everyone had a long offseason, but it was particularly tough for Bucs fans. Things started off with Tom Brady retiring back in Febuary and went downhill from there, at least narratively. After Brady retired the Bucs were easy targets for pundits to write off and take shots at, which happened on a pretty regular basis.
At this point we all know the deal: Tampa Bay is the second-worst team in the league, Baker Mayfield is a joke, Todd Bowles is basically already fired, and the Bucs are tanking for Caleb Williams. Why even play the season, one might ask themselves, if things are so surely over already.
The anti-Bucs narrative has placed a chip on the shoulder of everyone in the locker room and seems to be serving as motivation to prove everyone wrong. That's a journey that begins Sunday in Minnesota, where the Bucs return to their old NFC Central stomping grounds to try and kick off their revenge tour on the right foot.
How to watch Buccaneers vs. Vikings Week 1: Start time, live stream, TV channel
Baker Mayfield is making his official Buccaneers debut on Sunday, and it's starting to feel like there are more ways it goes right than wrong. There's an obvious element of risk involved with the gamble, but Baker finished his preseason nearly perfect in passing with two touchdowns, 105 yards, and no interceptions in 15 attempts.
It's a small sample size, but a pretty good omen of things to come. Baker looks like he'll be healthy for the first time in a few years and will have weapons he hasn't had since he was leading the Browns to the playoffs so many years ago.
Here's everything you need to know in order to catch the Bucs-Vikings showdown in Week 1:
- Date: Sunday, September 10th
- Start Time: 1:00 pm ET
- Location: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
- TV Channel: CBS
- Announcers: Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Matt Ryan
- Live Stream: NFL Sunday Ticket
Buccaneers vs. Vikings Week 1 odds
Unsurprisingly the Bucs open the season as road underdogs, but it's not the gap some were led to believe it might be. Minnesota is only slight favorites over Tampa Bay with the moneyline reflecting how Vegas isn't as down on the Bucs as hot take artists are.
What's most notable about the odds is the over/under. Despite Justin Jefferson, it doesn't seem like oddsmakers think this will be a high-scoring affiar. The Bucs offense last season left a lot to be desired, and that was with Tom Brady, so the notion that they won't be exposive without him isn't unfair.
That being said, Baker looked good and efficient when he was under center during the preseason, and it's very likely that the offense runs smoother than we saw last season. That means more points -- albeit not a ton -- and more excitement.
- Spread: Vikings -5
- Moneyline: Vikings -218 | Bucs +180
- Over/Under: 45.5
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