The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't get the maximum number of prime-time games this season, but they will be getting maximum exposure for two of their most anticipated matchups.
The NFL released its full 2023 regular-season schedule on Thursday night and for the fourth year in a row the Buccaneers were scheduled for multiple prime-time dates. After landing five night games in each of the past three seasons the Bucs got two in 2023 but they are two powerhouse battles: at home against Philadelphia on Monday Night Football in Week Three and at Buffalo on Thursday Night Football in Week Eight. Both the Eagles and Bills are considered prime Super Bowl contenders in 2023 and both feature MVP candidates at quarterback.
The Eagles visit Raymond James Stadium on Monday, September 25, with kickoff for the ABC broadcast scheduled for 7:15 p.m. It's a date very reminiscent of the first month of the 2018 season when Philadelphia, coming off a victory in Super Bowl LII the previous season, came to Tampa in Week Two, with the Bucs eventually prevailing, 27-21. This time around, the Eagles are once again the defending NFC champs after falling to Kansas City in Super Bowl LVII.
After recording the first 14-win regular season in franchise history, the 14-3 Eagles took the conference's top seed in the playoffs and defeated the Giants and 49ers by a combined score of 69-14 before falling just short against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, 38-35. The Eagles' high-powered offense, which finished third in both yards and points scored, was led by dual-threat quarterback Jalen Hurts. In just his second full season as a starter, Hurts threw for 3,701 yards and 22 touchdowns and ran for 760 yards and 13 scores. He finished second in NFL MVP voting to Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes after compiling a career-best 101.5 passer rating. With wide receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown plus tight end Dallas Goedert in his huddle and the league's third-ranked rushing attack, Hurts has a talented cast to which to distribute the ball.
The Eagles also finished second in the league's defensive rankings in 2022 and led the NFL with a remarkable 70 quarterback sacks, 15 more than the next closest team. In April, the team added three more members of the University of Georgia's championship defense to the mix in defensive tackle Jalen Carter, edge rusher Nolan Smith and cornerback Kelee Ringo. They join Pro Bowlers Haason Reddick, who had 16.0 sacks in 2022, and cornerback Darius Slay, who picked off three passes and broke up 14.
Five weeks after facing that stiff challenge in front of a nationwide audience, the Buccaneers will head to Buffalo for their Thursday night meeting with the Bills, who won the AFC East for the third straight season and advance to at least the Divisional Round for the third time in a row, in this case falling to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bills also have a powerful offense – they finished one spot ahead of the Eagles in both yards and points – led by a quarterback who can damage with his arm and his legs. Josh Allen finished third in the MVP voting, just behind Mahomes and Hurts, after racking up 4,283 yards through the air and 762 on the ground and accounting for 42 total touchdowns. His top target is wideout Stefon Diggs, who hauled in 108 passes for 1,429 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022. That was the fifth straight 1,000-yard season for Diggs, resulting in his third straight Pro Bowl appearance.
Meanwhile, the Buffalo defense allowed the second fewest points per game (17.9) in the NFL last season and ranked sixth in yards allowed. Pro Bowlers safety Jordan Poyer and linebacker Matt Milano recorded four and three interceptions, respectively, and newcomer Von Miller made a big impact before a season-ending knee injury, leading the team with 8.0 sacks.
Single game tickets are now on sale! If you want to capture the magic of the Bucs' 2023 season with a front row seat to the action, click here to purchase your tickets starting Thursday at 8pm.
2023 Buccaneers' season passes are also on sale now! For Bucs' football fanatics, not only do season passes provide a seat at every home game at Raymond James Stadium but passes also come with an entire year of exclusive Krewe Member benefits including discounts at the team store and in-stadium concession stands, VIP access to Training Camp and the official Buccaneers Draft Party, and more. Click here to select your seats and join the Krewe!
