Tampa Bay Buccaneers getting an early nod in 2025 season opener

The Falcons were a popular pick last offseason to unseat Tampa Bay as the division winner.  With Kirk Cousins joining the fold to seemingly improve Atlanta's stagnant passing game and Raheem Morris coming in to give the Falcons a fresh look and new energy, it seemed like a passing of the torch could take place.  

And the Falcons did their part on the field when they faced off against the Buccaneers last year. Cousins threw for an Atlanta franchise record 509 yards as the Falcons rallied in the fourth quarter to force overtime and eventually win 36-30.  They took the rematch later that month in Tampa 31-26. 

However, the Falcons' struggled on both sides of the ball for much of the rest of the season, which resulted in rookie Michael Penix, Jr. getting the nod as the starter late in the year.  Conversely, the Bucs did what they've done the last two years with Baker Mayfield at the helm - rally in the season's final two months.  Tampa Bay won six of their last seven games to clinch the division with a 27-19 Week 18 win over the New Orleans Saints. 

The Bucs will be looking to repeat their offensive success without Liam Coen, who accepted the Jaguars' head coaching job back in January in, let's say, a very controversial fashion.  New Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard will have all of his team's 2024 weapons back, and even with a little more firepower this time around with first-round pick Emeka Egbuka on the roster now. 

We'll find out if the Bucs can back up the oddsmakers' faith in Tampa Bay on September 7, when toe meets leather at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.