Week 1: Healthy Burrow Hosts Buccaneers in Cincinnati
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, September 13. Joe Burrow is fully healthy after missing nine games in 2025, and Cincinnati rebuilt its defensive front around Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen after losing Trey Hendrickson to Baltimore. Ja'Marr Chase (knee) and Tee Higgins (heel) were limited this week but are expected to play. Tampa Bay opens without Mike Evans, who signed with San Francisco, and with Emeka Egbuka nursing a toe sprain, while new coordinator Zac Robinson calls plays for Baker Mayfield.
Burrow is back, and so is Chase, probably
Cincinnati went 6-11 with Burrow sidelined for more than half the year. Chase and Higgins being limited in practice is the only real question on the home side.
Tampa Bay's receiver room without Evans
Egbuka's toe and Jalen McMillan's knee left the Bucs short in practice this week, a bad time to be thin at the position.
Bowles blitz vs. a rebuilt Bengals line
Todd Bowles sent extra rushers on more than 30 percent of snaps last year, and Cincinnati's protection is the part of the roster that changed least.
AI Prediction
Buccaneers 
Bengals A healthy Burrow at home is the deciding factor
Cincinnati's offense with Burrow, Chase and Higgins on the field is a different team from the one that finished 6-11.
Tampa Bay's passing game is thinner than a year ago
Losing Evans and possibly Egbuka leaves Mayfield with fewer proven targets against a Bengals secondary that added Bryan Cook.
The Bucs' pressure package keeps this close
Bowles' blitz rate and a new defensive front for Cincinnati mean turnovers could swing a game the model expects to be decided by a score.
The pick assumes Chase and Higgins play. If either sits, the lean drops to a coin flip.
Bengals Leaders
Buccaneers Leaders
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Closing Line
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Bengals Injuries