2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Schedule: Full Listing of Dates, Times and TV Info

Let the post-Tom Brady era begin.

The legendary quarterback retired from the NFL this offseason—this time for good—which leaves the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a transition period heading into the 2023 campaign.

On the one hand, the roster is still talented enough to compete for a playoff spot. That is especially the case in an NFC South division that saw all four teams finish below .500 last year.

On the other hand, this is the first time since 2019 when the start of a new season didn't bring realistic Super Bowl chances with the greatest to ever do it lining up under center.

It will be up to veteran Baker Mayfield to fill Brady's shoes, and he will have no shortage of options around him with wide receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Russell Gage leading the way. A formidable defense that was ninth in the league in yards allowed per game in 2022 should be strong again as well.

If Tampa Bay can take advantage of the softer spots on its schedule, a fourth straight trip to the playoffs will be in the cards.

Here is a look at that slate.

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2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Schedule

Full schedule information available on the team's official website.

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Analysis

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The bottom line for Tampa Bay's schedule is it is very manageable.

In fact, it is 22nd in the league in terms of opposing winning percentage, which isn't always the best indicator of schedule strength but can serve as a starting point. And one of the reasons that number is so low is the cross-divisional matching with the AFC South.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were the only team in that division to finish better than three games under .500, and they weren't exactly juggernauts at 9-8. The AFC South as a whole finished an ugly 23-43-2 last year, which was significantly worse than the 29 combined wins from a weak NFC South.

Elsewhere, matchups against the NFC North aren't overwhelmingly daunting either even if the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions finished with winning records last year. The Chicago Bears may be slightly better, but the Green Bay Packers no longer have Aaron Rodgers to balance that out.

It isn't all easy, though, as a first-place schedule for the Buccaneers means additional games against Super Bowl contenders in the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles. Throw in the additional 17th game of a road trip to face another powerhouse in the Buffalo Bills, and the rest of the NFC South will have a chance to make up some ground on that portion of the schedule.

Ultimately, it is a slate with some challenges and enough weaker points that a team with as much talent as Tampa Bay should be able to string together enough wins to challenge for a playoff spot.

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Pivotal Matchups

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There is little doubt what the most important games on Tampa Bay's schedule will be in 2023.

The two showdowns with the New Orleans Saints could go a long way toward determining who wins the NFC South. After all, the Saints won the division for four straight seasons from 2017-20, while the Buccaneers are coming off back-to-back titles.

New Orleans should also be better in 2023 with the addition of quarterback Derek Carr after it went primarily with Andy Dalton last season. Carr may be a step below some of the league's top stars, but he is a four-time Pro Bowler who elevates the team's ceiling.

Elsewhere, the game against the 49ers is something of a measuring-stick contest for the Buccaneers. Both teams may be looking up at the Eagles in the NFC, so this could be important for playoff positioning.

So could the games against the Packers and Lions.

Green Bay and Detroit were both fighting for wild-card spots until the final week last season and could be in a similar spot this year if the Vikings repeat as NFC North champions. Head-to-head results against such teams will be key in the wild-card race for Tampa Bay if it finds itself behind the Saints in its own division.