Four straight years. That’s how long the NFC South has belonged to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite shuffling through offensive coordinators, the Bucs have kept their grip on the division, riding a resurgent Baker Mayfield and one of the league’s most balanced rosters.
But with Liam Coen out and Josh Grizzard in, the Bucs’ offense is entering a new era — and Atlanta’s defense will be the first real test. How will Tampa attack Michael Penix Jr.? Is this roster built to make another deep playoff run,
or is there reason to believe the Falcons can finally punch back?
I got into all of this and more in my chat with Evan Wanish of Bucs Nation. Let’s get after it!
1) Liam Coen had this offense hitting on all cylinders in 2024. On a scale of 1-10, how worried are you about the switch to Josh Grizzard, and what should we expect from the Grizzard-led offense?
Evan Wanish: I would honestly say a 5. Liam Coen was fantastic for the Buccaneers last year and a big reason why they won the division. The offense was lethal nearly every week and Coen deserves a lot of credit for that.
With Josh Grizzard though, the Bucs are getting someone who was already on the staff last year to try and keep some continuity. Grizzard played a big role in the Bucs’ 3rd down packages last season and they were very successful at it. I would expect a lot of similar concepts that the Bucs ran last year with some subtle differences. Losing Coen hurts, but Grizzard should be able to steady things for the offense.
2) On the other side, Todd Bowles has been a nightmare for young quarterbacks. Does the young gunslinger, Michael Penix, Jr., stand a chance?
Evan Wanish: The matchup between the Bucs defense and Penix Jr is an interesting one. Historically, the Bucs have not fared well against young QBs or signal callers they haven’t seen yet. However that has gotten better under Todd Bowles.
There are pros and cons to the Bucs facing Penix this weekend. On one hand, Penix has never faced the Bucs before and Tampa Bay may be able to throw some wrinkles at Penix that he hasn’t seen before. On the other hand though, young QBs can be dangerous if they get going early and become confident in their game. If Penix starts off fast on Sunday, the Falcons offense could be in for a big day.
3) Is this a Super Bowl-contending roster? It’s certainly a good one, even great in some aspects, but are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ready to contend for a Lombardi?
Evan Wanish: The answer really depends on who you ask. I personally think there are a tad too many questions right now that need answered before I can say they are Super Bowl contenders. I have serious concerns about the four man pass rush and some volatility in the secondary.
Do they have the potential to be a Super Bowl contender if a few things break right? Sure, but you could say that for a handful of teams. They’ll certainly be a tough out if they make the playoffs, but I’m not 100% convinced it’s a Super Bowl team.
4) Name the one Buccaneer that you’re most excited to see on Sunday.
Evan Wanish: It’s gotta be Emeka Egbuka. The 19th overall pick in this year’s draft, he had a great training camp and figures to have a big role in the offense with Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan being out. It was a surprise when the Bucs took a receiver as high as they did, but he has the ceiling of a number one guy in this league and it will be exciting to see him on the field.
5) It’s week one. Everybody has a bold take. What’s your bold take about the Buccaneers for the 2025 NFL season?
Evan Wanish: I think my bold take is going to be that DL Calijah Kancey records 10+ sacks this season. After being a 1st round pick of Tampa Bay in 2023, Kancey has had a solid two seasons but year three will be his major breakout year and he’ll establish himself as one of the top interior defensive lineman in the NFL.
So, there you have it. The Bucs might be four-time defending NFC South champs, but nothing about Sunday feels guaranteed.
Josh Grizzard is stepping into big shoes with Liam Coen gone, and while Tampa’s offense should look familiar, a few subtle tweaks could decide this game. Todd Bowles’ defense will test Michael Penix Jr., but as Evan pointed out, young quarterbacks can be dangerous if they find rhythm early, and Penix has the firepower to make things interesting. Keep an eye on rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka and breakout candidate Calijah Kancey, two players who could swing this matchup in Tampa’s favor. One thing’s for certain: if the Falcons want to send a message in Week 1, this is the stage to do it.
Thank you so much to Evan for doing this, and enjoy the Sunday slate. Ladies and gentlemen, football is back!
