The Tampa Bay Buccaneers
will enter Sunday's season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals as the road team, but former head coach Jon Gruden is confident his old team will leave Ohio with a win. During his Week 1 picks, Gruden and his brother Jay found themselves on opposite sides when it came time to predict the Bucs-Bengals. Jay went with Cincinnati, which wasn't exactly surprising considering his history with the organization.Jon immediately called him out for it. "It's Week 1, and we already have a little bias from my brother," Gruden said before making his pick clear: "Give me Tampa to beat the Bengals." Jay spent three seasons as Cincinnati's offensive coordinator from 2011 through 2013 before becoming the head coach of the Washington
Redskins. His time with the Bengals included three consecutive playoff appearances, giving him his own connection to Cincinnati. Jon's connection to Tampa Bay is even stronger. Gruden coached the Buccaneers from 2002 through 2008 and led the franchise to its first Super Bowl championship in his first season. He has also become more involved in the organization recently, including working alongside former Bucs cornerback Rondé Barber during Tampa Bay's preseason broadcast.
There are reasons for Gruden to feel good about Tampa Bay's chances despite the challenge Cincinnati presents. Baker Mayfield has historically played well against the Bengals, with a 6-2 record over his four seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Mayfield also hasn't lost a season opener since becoming Tampa Bay's quarterback. The Bucs are 3-0 in Week 1 during his tenure, while the franchise has won five consecutive season openers overall. The biggest challenge will be slowing down Joe Burrow and Cincinnati's passing attack. Tampa Bay's revamped defensive front will immediately be tested against Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, while the Bucs' young secondary will have little room for mistakes. Still, Jon Gruden isn't buying into his brother's confidence in Cincinnati.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Jon Gruden confident in Bucs week 1
