Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2015 Schedule: Win-Loss Predictions for Every Game
For Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans, Tuesday night's release of the 2015 regular-season schedule was the equivalent of shopaholics finally getting their hands on those first Black Friday ads.
With the NFL's release of the entire schedule, fans of all 32 NFL teams are now booking travel and coordinating who gets the season tickets to which game, crossing another milestone in the one sports cycle that truly never ends.
With the 2015 draft still on the horizon, plenty of these teams will change their overall outlooks based on certain additions, but for the time being, let's take a gander at how this season might shake out for Tampa Bay.
Here are my predictions for the Bucs' 2015 regular-season schedule.
Week 1: Tennessee Titans (Home)
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The schedule-makers must be pulling for a certain sequence of events at the top of this year's NFL draft.
Many expect the Bucs to take Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston with the No. 1 overall pick, while the Tennessee Titans pick second overall and could potentially select Oregon's Marcus Mariota as their new franchise signal-caller.
If that's the way things go down, the draft's top two picks would waste no time facing off against one another, as the Bucs open up at home for the fifth time in six seasons, taking on a Tennessee team that managed the same 2-14 record last season.
Both teams are rebuilding and could be starting rookie quarterbacks, so I'd give the advantage to the Bucs, who at least have the home-field advantage going for them.
Prediction: Bucs 23, Titans 17
Week 2: New Orleans Saints (Away)
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Tampa Bay jumps into its division schedule early, heading to the Big Easy to take on the New Orleans Saints, who will be missing a familiar face.
A huge thorn in the Bucs' side over the past few years, Jimmy Graham won't be creating matchup nightmares for the Tampa Bay defense in this series. But while the Saints aren't as strong as they once were, they still have Drew Brees slinging the ball around, and Sean Payton didn't forget how to run a potent offense.
Mike Glennon captained the Bucs offense to a two-score lead in New Orleans last year, but the defense let it slip away in an overtime loss.
Tampa Bay should be a better team this time around, but the Saints are tough to beat in the Superdome. Even if the Bucs are able to keep it close, Brees gets it done in the fourth quarter and hands his division rivals their first loss of the year.
Prediction: Saints 27, Bucs 24
Week 3: Houston Texans (Away)
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In Week 3, the Bucs continue the first of many two-game road trips with a stop in Houston, where they'll face the team that had last year's No. 1 overall pick.
Tampa Bay's offensive line struggled mightily in 2014, and it better improve in a hurry before it faces J.J. Watt and company early on in 2015. Even without consistent quarterback play, the Houston Texans improved their record from 2-14 to 9-7, a feat the Bucs hope to accomplish this season.
No matter who is under center for the Texans, they're a deeper, better team across the board. The Bucs should have trouble moving the ball, and though their defense should keep them in it, a big play from Arian Foster or DeAndre Hopkins is all it will take to do them in.
Prediction: Texans 17, Bucs 13
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Week 4: Carolina Panthers (Home)
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The Bucs return home for a Week 4 tilt with one of their nastiest rivals, as they face off with the Carolina Panthers for the first time in 2015.
Carolina rode a strong defense and opportunistic offense to a playoff run last season, winning the dismal NFC South with a losing record. They opened up 2014 with a road win over the Bucs and will be looking for the same result this time around.
However, the Bucs should be chomping for a win after two straight losses on the road, and their new offense should be starting to find a groove by the time this game rolls around.
Another year to digest the Tampa 2 should do wonders for the Bucs on defense, while the difference between a win and a loss could just be the presence of a rookie quarterback who knows a thing or two about pulling out close games at the end. Tampa Bay evens up its record with a dramatic win on the final drive.
Prediction: Bucs 19, Panthers 17
Week 5: Jacksonville Jaguars (Home)
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Tampa Bay welcomes another struggling Florida team to Raymond James Stadium in Week 5, as the Jacksonville Jaguars come to town with a young team hungry to finally become competitive under Gus Bradley.
Blake Bortles will have more experience under his belt, and he has the weapons on offense to be effective. The Bucs will have to get after him early and often, disrupting his comfort in the pocket and forcing him into bad decisions. If the Jags aren't able to improve their ground game, Tampa Bay could make it a long afternoon for Bortles.
I expect the Bucs to force a couple of early turnovers in this one, getting out to a decent halftime lead before salting it away on the ground late.
Prediction: Bucs 31, Jaguars 20
Week 7: Washington Redskins (Away)
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Tampa Bay bagged one of its two wins against the Washington Redskins last year, but Bucs fans shouldn't necessarily expect them to walk out of FedEx Field with another blowout win.
If the Bucs head into this game with a 3-2 record, I wouldn't be shocked to see a letdown game from them once they get back out on the road after two in a row at home. If Robert Griffin III can stay healthy, Washington has the weapons on offense to be dangerous.
Don't be surprised if the home team gets revenge this time, with DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon making too many big plays for the Bucs to handle.
Prediction: Redskins 27, Bucs 20
Week 8: Atlanta Falcons (Away)
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The Bucs renew another bitter NFC South rivalry starting in Week 8, as they travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons for the first time in 2015.
Like the rest of the division, the Falcons swept the series with Tampa Bay last year, punctuated by a 56-14 blowout at the Georgia Dome in front of a national audience in Week 3.
Things shouldn't get that ugly in this one, but the Falcons still have one of the better quarterbacks in the league in Matt Ryan, who will be tough to stop if he has his top receivers healthy. Julio Jones and Roddy White have given Tampa Bay trouble for quite a while, and I expect it to continue this year.
It's not a blowout, but it's a loss just the same. The Bucs make a valiant attempt at the end, but the Falcons recover a late onside kick to seal a close win.
Prediction: Falcons 31, Bucs 24
Week 9: New York Giants (Home)
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The New York Giants disappointed in 2014 with a 6-10 record, but I expect a bounce-back season from them led by last year's Offensive Rookie of the Year, Odell Beckham Jr., and two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning.
The Bucs will return home for this game after two straight road losses, but Manning and the G-Men will just keep piling it on in front of more Giants fans than Tampa Bay would prefer. Beckham was nearly uncoverable as a rookie, and he'll be a year more improved, while Victor Cruz will have returned from a season-ending knee injury.
One too many turnovers will cost Tampa Bay in this one, as a clutch fourth-quarter interception seals a two-score win for the visiting Giants.
Prediction: Giants 24, Bucs 13
Week 10: Dallas Cowboys (Home)
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The Bucs' NFC East tour continues in Week 10, as Tony Romo, Dez Bryant and the Dallas Cowboys welcome Tampa Bay to Arlington.
Dallas is as strong as it's been in recent memory, with Romo taking advantage of his vast array of weapons in Bryant, Jason Witten, Terrance Williams and more. Even without DeMarco Murray, the Cowboys should be able to run the ball effectively behind arguably the NFL's most dominant offensive line.
Don't be shocked if this one gets out of hand early thanks to some big plays in the passing game, with Dallas grinding out the second-half clock on the ground for the convincing win.
Prediction: Cowboys 34, Bucs 17
Week 11: Philadelphia Eagles (Away)
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The man who was almost Tampa Bay's head coach just a few short years ago, Chip Kelly and his Philadelphia Eagles play host to the Bucs in Week 11.
Kelly has turned plenty of heads with his offseason roster moves this year, trading away quarterback Nick Foles and leading rusher LeSean McCoy in favor of Sam Bradford and a stable of capable running backs. Kelly's lightning-quick offense is likely to create problems for the Bucs, exposing their lack of quality depth and wearing them down as the game goes on.
Expect the Eagles to take this one thanks to a few timely big plays in the passing game and plenty of fresh legs on the ground.
Prediction: Eagles 31, Bucs 21
Week 12: Indianapolis Colts (Away)
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The hits just keep on coming for the Bucs through this stretch of the schedule, as Andrew Luck and the defending AFC South champs welcome them to Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 12.
Luck led his team all the way to the AFC title game last season, and if the Indianapolis Colts can improve up front and in the backfield, they could go even further in 2015. Tampa Bay will be better than last year, but they simply don't have the horses in the starting lineup to keep up with Luck and company.
The Colts will mount an early two-score lead, and after a valiant third-quarter effort by the Bucs to bring them within one score, a long drive by Luck that eats away a sizable chunk of the final period seals Tampa Bay's fate.
Prediction: Colts 34, Bucs 24
Week 13: Atlanta Falcons (Home)
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The Falcons make the short trip down to Tampa for the bookend of this year's two-game series in Week 13, looking to sweep the Bucs for the second straight season.
But there's a reason it's rare to beat a team twice in one season, and the Bucs will prove that by pulling out a much-needed home win following a rough stretch on the schedule.
New Bucs offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter gets revenge on his old team as the Bucs rack up plenty of yardage against a banged-up Falcons defense that is starting to feel the effects of a long season. Mike Evans pockets a pair of touchdown catches, one of which puts away Atlanta in the final minutes.
Prediction: Bucs 31, Falcons 27
Week 14: New Orleans Saints (Home)
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Much like the week before, the Bucs get even with another division rival in their home stadium, this time taking down the Saints at Raymond James Stadium in Week 14.
After a chance to evaluate the film from their loss to the Saints earlier in the season, the Bucs put together a solid game plan to limit big plays down the field, forcing Sean Payton's offense to settle for too many field goals in the red zone.
This one goes down to the wire, but Tampa Bay gets the ball last and makes the most of it, with Patrick Murray nailing a field goal as time expires to steal the victory away from the visiting Saints.
Prediction: Bucs 26, Saints 24
Week 15: St. Louis Rams (Away)
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The St. Louis Rams stole a victory in Tampa early last season, but they'll be stronger at home this year, with a more capable quarterback at the helm in Nick Foles.
Foles will make his plays, but it will be the running game—behind Greg Robinson and a solid offensive line—that keeps this game out of Tampa Bay's reach.
Tampa Bay stays within striking distance for the entire game, but the Rams' dominant front four—led by 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year Aaron Donald—shuts down the Bucs' running game and comes up with a couple of clutch sacks on the final drive to lock up a home victory.
Prediction: Rams 19, Bucs 13
Week 16: Chicago Bears (Home)
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The Chicago Bears narrowly escaped defeat against the Bucs last year, as Lovie Smith returned to coach against his previous team. But escape they did, and they'll do it again this year, this time on the road in Week 16.
Brandon Marshall is gone, but Jay Cutler still has plenty of offensive weapons, with Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett and Matt Forte providing plenty of options in the passing game. The Bears will be transitioning into a 3-4 scheme on defense, but while they'll have their struggles, they should be a much better unit this late in the season.
Cutler makes his share of mistakes, but his supporting cast does enough to put the Bears in the win column, sending the Bucs home with their second consecutive loss.
Prediction: Bears 24, Bucs 20
Week 17: Carolina Panthers (Away)
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Looking to avoid being swept by any division rival in 2015—after losing all six NFC South games last season—the Bucs give their fans one last hurrah heading into the offseason with a big win over the Panthers.
Tampa Bay won't be in the running for the top pick at this point, so there won't be any talk of tanking in this one. Tampa Bay fires on all cylinders on both sides of the ball, turning takeaways into touchdowns and forcing Cam Newton into bad decisions with consistent pressure.
Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson each haul in a touchdown catch, while Tampa Bay's running game wears down the Panthers in the fourth quarter, ending the 2015 season on a happy note with a 6-10 record.
Prediction: Bucs 27, Panthers 13
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