The Buccaneers opening game is in the books and they were able to come out victorious against the Atlanta Falcons in a back and forth, wild contest. Tampa Bay escaped Atlanta with a 23-20 win which was in doubt at times, but the Bucs proved that they are ready to fight until the very end.
Let’s take a look at what social media had to say about the Bucs revenge over the Falcons.
An O-Line Surprise
About 20 minutes before kickoff, it was announced that the Bucs were completely revamping their offensive line, moving Graham
Barto from center to left tackle, Ben Bredeson from guard to center and starting newly elevated guard Michael Jordan. The move came as a shock to many, as it was not something that was announced or even rumored that the Bucs might be doing, but it worked out quite well.
Emeka Egbuka has Arrived
Bucs rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka certainly made his mark in his NFL debut on Sunday, catching the first Bucs touchdown of the season and the first of his career but then he also grabbed the game winning touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield with just 59 seconds left in the game. Egbuka ended the game with four catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns. Picking a wide receiver with the 19th overall pick doesn’t look so bad now.
A Strong First Impression from Reddick
The Bucs went into the 2025 offseason looking to upgrade their pass rush and they decided to address the position by signing veteran edge rusher Haason Reddick to a one year deal. Tampa Bay is hoping Reddick can provide a spark to their four man pass rush and get to the QB a lot this season. His first game with the team was certainly a solid start.
Antoine Winfield Jr: Game Saver
After the Bucs had re-taken the lead from Atlanta, the Falcons threatened again and this time it was almost a disaster for Tampa Bay. Atlanta had gotten into field goal range to tie the game but with a few extra seconds left, they took some shots to try and score a touchdown. Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr found receiver Casey Washington all alone… until Antoine Winfield Jr had something to say about it. Winfield knocked the ball out of Washington’s hands, breaking up what would have in all likelihood been the game winning touchdown and left a sour taste in the Bucs mouths.
Winfield Jr is back healthy and better than ever.
Tampa Bay is 1-0 for the fifth straight season and are undefeated in week one in the Todd Bowles era. They have also started 2-0 four straight times so let’s hope they are able to do that yet again next week in Houston.
