The 5 Easiest Games On The Buccaneers’ 2026 Schedule

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers schedule has been released and we now know what their season will look like. Although we’ve known the opponents for months, the sequencing is almost as important. It’s not always about who you play, but rather when you play them. 

So when looking at the highs and lows of the schedule, some of the games that I circle as a win might surprise you. Games where I believe the Bucs are just the superior team or are catching a good team at the right time.

Here are my five easiest games on the Buccaneers schedule.

5) Week 4 – vs Packers

We don’t know exactly what the Packers will look like at this point of the year. With star pass rusher Micha Parsons potentially starting the season on the PUP list, there’s a chance he won’t be available for this game. If that’s the case then it takes a lot of bite out of the Green Bay defense.

Without Parsons, I don’t know that the Packers will be able to consistently stop the Bucs. Their defensive line is otherwise lacking a lot of talent and there isn’t any reason that Zac Robinson shouldn’t be able to do whatever he likes offensively. This will put a lot of pressure on the Packers offense to keep pace.

The Bucs front seven looks like it will be very strong against the run. This will be problematic for the Packers because they will be relying heavily on Josh Jacobs. All in all, this is a pretty favorable matchup for Tampa.

4) Week 1 – at Bengals

The Bengals are a lot of sizzle, but are lacking in terms of steak. Everyone will point to the high flying passing attack and buy into this being a dangerous team. I get it, quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase are both excellent players.

Beyond that, there are a lot of question marks with this roster. Cincinnati had the 4th fewest rushing yards in the NFL last season and are still underwhelming on their interior offensive line and at running back. So to give them a chance, the passing game has to be one of the best in the NFL.

On defense, there isn’t much to be excited about. They added some big names on the defensive line, but I question how much Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen have left in the tank at their age. Overall, there is very little they can hang their hat on with this side of the ball.

The Buccaneers are just the better team and this should be a comfortable win.

3) Week 6 – vs Steelers

The Steelers have always been a competitive and well respected team. They are always a tough defense and find a way to win close games. However, with a new coaching staff in place, we’ll see if that continues. 

The big probably here is the same that it has been for years. Pittsburgh doesn’t have a legitimate starting quarterback. Aaron Rodgers is back for a second season, but at 42 years old he is just a shell of his former self.

I do like the defense that Pittsburgh brings to town. However, some of their key pieces are aging. I don’t think that they’ll be able to keep pace with the Buccaneers.

2) Week 18 – at Saints

For the last several years, the Saints have not been a good football team. They’ve been an after thought; second rate dog water. So them being on this list should be no surprise.

With that said, I do think the arrow is pointing up for New Orleans. They had a great draft and now have one of the most promising young duos at wide receiver in the league. They have invested into the offense and I kind of like what they’re building.

Luckily, their defense is still pretty far away. The Saints have lost their best players from years gone by and they haven’t replenished the talent. The Bucs should sweep the Saints, but they should definitely get it done at home.

1) Week 2 – vs Browns

There might not be a bigger mess in the NFL than the Browns. They’ve been directionless for years. And even though I think that they just had a really good draft, it won’t be enough to turn the tides this quickly.

The starting quarterback will likely be Shadur Sanders or Deshaun Watson, which means whoever it is won’t be very good. Surrounding him will be a revamped offensive line and wide receiver group, who might turn out to be good, but probably not firing on all cylinders by week two.

It’s worth noting that the in-game matchup of Myles Garrett vs Tristian Wirfs is as good of a one on one football experience that you’ll ever see. Other than that, it’s fair that we collectively write off the Browns in this game.