The NFL released it’s schedule for the 2020 season on Thursday, and not surprisingly, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers find themselves being featured in five prime-time games, the maximum number allowed.
When you sign a future Hall of Famer in Tom Brady, you can expect the national spotlight to be on you all season. Fortunately, the Bucs seem up to the task. With an up-and-coming defense that added a potential star in the draft in safety Antoine Winfield Jr., coupled with an offense that tied for third in scoring last year, the Bucs will provide excitement for NFL fans all season.
Adam Schein over at NFL.com ranked his top nine prime-time games for 2020, and at No. 2 he had the Buccaneers hosting the New Orleans Saints in Week 9.
Per Schein:
“While these two teams are set to duke it out on the opening Sunday afternoon of the season, this Week 9 date in Tampa is the one that gets prime-time treatment. Hoo-boy, I can’t wait for Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth to get on this call. Currently ranked first and second in all-time touchdown passes, Brady (547 TDs) and Brees (541) have actually only locked horns five times, with Brees holding a 3-2 edge. (Two of those wins came when Brees was a Charger.) The last time they did battle, back in Week 2 of the 2017 season, Brady got a 36-20 win while the two field generals combined for 803 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions through the air.”
I ranked the Bucs’ prime-time games recently, and to be quite honest, I’m shocked Schein doesn’t have more Tampa Bay games on his list. He has three separate Cowboys games on there. Three! How are they more interesting than Tom Brady and the Bucs? Cowboys at Rams is not more exciting than Bucs at Raiders facing off against Jon Gruden.
Agree to disagree with Schein on his overall list, but there’s no doubt the Saints-Bucs prime-time game will be a ratings bonanza for the NFL.
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