3 Big Factors in the Buccaneers' Week 1 Showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals

Tampa Bay will kick off the season with hopes of a division title when they face Cincy on Sunday

It all starts again for the NFL; the first Sunday of the regular season is upon us. That means it's time for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to get back to business.

The Bucs finished the 2025 NFL regular season at 8-9, which tied them at the top of the NFC South, but they failed to qualify for the playoffs due to tiebreakers. They will enter the new campaign with a fully-charged Baker Mayfield at the helm, and an eye on returning to the postseason.

Their Week 1 opponents, the Cincinnati Bengals , have been one of the strangest franchises in recent memory, and perhaps ever in the history of the National Football League. Despite having superstar-caliber quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, the team isn't considered a true postseason threat. They could win the division and still be an afterthought in terms of true, Super Bowl contenders.

But the pieces are in place for the team to have a successful season, and that starts with Cincy. There are a few factors that could decide whether or not the Tampa team will come out on top this week.

Baker Mayfield has been a football folk hero for years, due to his late-game heroics, emotional play, and outstanding ability. The Buccaneers will only go as far as their undisputed leader can take them, and he has the opportunity to prove that he's truly among the elite in 2026.

For Tampa to return to the Playoffs, Mayfield must limit his mistakes. Even in his normal comfort zone, he has forced plays at times, sometimes relying on his arm and instincts when it would be better to live and fight another day. However, he's also limited those kinds of errors in recent years.

Since coming to Tampa, Mayfield has posted a 95-to-37 touchdown-to-interception ratio over the past three seasons, averaging 2.57 scores for every pick. That kind of output against the Bengals would likely get the year started off with a victory, while also setting a promising pace for the rest of the regular season.

With fellow wide receiver Jalen McMillan ruled out for the week, the former third-round pick can fill the 'gimmick' role, or the 'X' position, in the wideout corps. He'll likely line up in unique spots and do a lot of different things to stay involved on the offense on Sunday. For the Bucs to find success, he will need to make plays when given the opportunity - particularly on third down.

Johnson, the adopted brother of Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix , has been a bit under the radar in terms of his playmaking ability. He had 28 catches for 322 yards and five TDs in his rookie campaign a season ago. A breakout performance could provide momentum the receiver can carry all through the year.

Last year, Tampa Bay's defense was fairly middle-of-the-pack overall, with one major strength and one major weakness. They were excellent against the run but vulnerable through the air, something they will look to remedy by kickoff.

They suffered a big loss with the retirement of LaVonte David , the 14-year Bucs veteran who provided hard hits and tough love as the team's captain. He's on his way to Canton someday, but in the meantime, the team has made some additions to shore up their pass rush.

Perhaps the player to focus on this week will be newcomer Al-Quadin Muhammad . The outside linebacker had 11 sacks a year ago for the Detroit Lions , despite not starting a single game. He could provide the pressure that buries Burrow and the Bengals in this season's opener.