John Breech of CBS Sports recently pointed toward the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a team with a real opportunity to build momentum early in the 2026 season before the schedule becomes far more difficult beginning in October.
The opening three games against the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Minnesota Vikings were all described as winnable matchups for Tampa Bay. The Bengals have struggled in season openers under Zac Taylor, Cleveland enters the year with a new head coach, and Minnesota is expected to have a new starting quarterback.
That early stretch creates a realistic path for the Buccaneers to build confidence and stack wins before the schedule tightens considerably.
Things begin to change quickly in Week 4, when Tampa Bay hosts the Green Bay Packers before immediately traveling for a Thursday road game against the Dallas Cowboys. The schedule does not ease up much after that with games against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, and Chicago Bears.
For Tampa Bay, the importance of a fast start feels clear. If the Buccaneers can reach their Week 10 bye above .500, they will likely feel good about where they stand entering the second half of the season, because the second half of their season is mostly against division opponents.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs face tougher stretch after hot start opportunity in October
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