The Buccaneers open the 2026 season against an offensive powerhouse in the Cincinnati Bengals. When healthy, Joe Burrow is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and is capable of leading a juggernaut offense alongside wide receiver phenom Ja'Marr Chase.
The problem for Burrow and Chase is the rest of the roster, which struggles with consistency and, at times, baseline talent. The Bucs have an opportunity to take advantage of Cincinnati's uneven roster with their own revamped lineup and homegrown talent.
Here are three big predictions for the Bucs' Week 1 matchup with the Bengals:
Prediction 1: The Bucs defense will hold Joe Burrow to one touchdown pass
Tampa Bay's defensive improvements this offseason won't take long to show their value. The additions to the pass rush, specifically rookie Reuben Bain Jr., could prove to be a nightmare
for the Bengals' offensive line.
The more the Bucs can heat up Joe Burrow, the less effective he becomes. While the Bucs' secondary will have its hands full against Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the reinvigorated pass rush should make Burrow's life miserable enough to keep Cincinnati off the scoreboard.
Prediction 2: Tampa Bay's running backs will rush for over 100 yards
Last season, Tampa Bay's run game never had a chance to get off the ground due to injuries across the offensive line and in the backfield. They have no such issue coming into this year, paving the way for the Bucs to recapture their 2024 effectiveness when they averaged 5.3 yards per rush attempt behind Bucky Irving.
The Bengals are the perfect opponent to ignite their run game, having allowed 5.2 yards per rush last season. Even the additions of Dexter Lawrence and Boye Mafe are unlikely to change this outcome, as both linemen are bigger contributors as pass rushers more so than run defenders.
Prediction 3: Jalen McMillan will lead the Bucs in receiving yards
Despite missing most of the preseason to injury, third-year wide receiver Jalen McMillan should play a major role in Tampa Bay's game plan against the Bengals. While Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbuka are the marquee names in the Bucs' receiver room, McMillan does one thing better than either of them: beat man coverage. Last year, he led the Bucs with 3.29 yards per route run.
The Bengals don't play much man coverage, and they aren't good at it. Godwin and Egbuka's ability to exploit zone coverage will encourage them to play it. That is when McMillan will strike and lead the Bucs' passing attack.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 3 bold predictions for Bucs' Week 1 matchup against the Bengals
