Brianna Dix: At Detroit Lions, Week Seven
This is a marquee matchup for the Buccaneers that will undoubtedly feel like a playoff game. The Bucs will play on Monday Night Football when they visit the Lions in Week Seven. Including playoffs, the Bucs will be embarking on their fifth trip to Detroit since 2019, which is two more trips than they have made to any other non-divisional opponent during that span. A rivalry has sparked between the two teams and this clash will be on a national stage on Oct. 20. For any football fanatic, it does not get any better than this.
This matchup, that pits two No. 1 overall picks against one another in Baker Mayfield and Jared Goff, along with two power NFC teams, is poised to be a riveting battle for four quarters inside Ford Field. For me personally, I love the hostile environment inside their stadium. The press box is open air, which means while typing and analyzing, I get to experience the palpable excitement and roar of the crowd from my seat. With a cast of explosive skill players on both sidelines, this contest is one I will have circled on the calendar.
Scott Smith: At Los Angeles Rams, Week 12
I find this Rams team fascinating. Going into last season it seemed like they might be headed towards a rebuild, part of the eventual fallout from “effing” all “them picks” for years. Instead, they rebuilt their defensive front in one fell swoop with the twin drafting of Florida State teammates Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, overcame a rash of injuries to tape together an effective offensive line and rebounded from a 1-4 start to take the NFC West at 10-7. Of all the teams the Eagles faced in the postseason on their way to the way to last year’s title, the Rams gave them the most trouble.
The current offseason began with discussion of a possible trade of Matthew Stafford, which surely would have meant a rebuild at that point, right? Instead, Stafford got a new deal, the Rams cleanly replaced Cooper Kupp with Davante Adams and might have traded for Jalen Ramsey (again!) by the time you’re reading this. They’re loaded again, and while they won’t be sneaking up on anybody this time around, they are without a doubt a top NFC contender in 2025.
I alluded to the joy of watching Stafford and Mayfield trading shots earlier, and that is definitely one of the main draws here. If Stafford has an explosive crew to work with in the Rams’ passing game, Mayfield might have an even better situation with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, Emeka Egbuka and top-five offensive line from 2024. This one could be a blast, and the NFL knows it, putting it in the Sunday Night Football spotlight in Week 12. We should know at that point if both the Rams and Buccaneers are, as I suspect they will be, in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt, and this one could be a playoff preview. Or a playoff rematch, given how the end of the 2021 postseason went down for the Buccaneers. A 16-13 regular-season win over the Rams during the 2022 regular season didn’t really make up for that wild finish that sent a very strong Tom Brady-led team home early in January of 2022. Maybe a rousing win in front of a national audience on the Rams’ turf would do so.
Gabriel Kahaian: Atlanta Falcons, Week 15
Heading into Week 15, both the Buccaneers and the Falcons will have been through a lot of football. They will be completely different teams from when they first met in Week One. This game has the opportunity to be one of the most pivotal games of the Buccaneers’ 2025 NFL season. The Thursday Night Football matchup could have major playoff implications and play a key role in deciding the NFC South champion.
If recent history tells us anything, the division race might come down to the wire. The NFC South has been decided by two or fewer games in the past three seasons. Of course, the Bucs hope to have a substantial lead by Week 15. That doesn’t diminish the significance of defeating a division rival, particularly when seeding position and tiebreakers are on the line. Four of the Bucs’ final five games are against division opponents, raising the stakes down the stretch. Tampa Bay will also be on the national stage, participating in the main event on Thursday night. This game could be a significant factor in the Bucs’ pursuit of a record fifth-straight NFC South crown. A lot will be on the line at Raymond James Stadium.
(Fun Fact, Week 15 will be the 65th meeting between the Buccaneers and Falcons. If Tampa Bay wins both battles in 2025, the all-time series record would flip in their favor 33-32.)