After falling to the Saints in New Orleans in their season-opener, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play their first home game of 2020 on Sunday, Sept. 20 at Raymond James Stadium against the visiting Carolina Panthers. The Buccaneers will be seeking their first victory with six-time Super Bowl-champion Tom Brady at the helm of the offense.
The Bucs' second straight intra-division matchup is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff, and it will be the first of two games the team plays without fans in the stands due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Buccaneers are hoping they will be able to open their gates in Week Six against the Green Bay Packers. The Bucs-Saints game in the Louisiana Superdome was also played without a crowd.
View photos of Tampa Bay's Week 1 matchup against New Orleans.
Inside linebacker Lavonte David takes the field for Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady and wide receiver Justin Watson during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Coaches and players during the national anthem before Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady celebrates a touchdown with Ali Marpet and Ryan Jensen during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Cornerback Carlton Davis during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Inside Linebacker Devin White during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting and inside linebacker Devin White tackle Saints wide receiver Alvin Kamara.
Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting and inside linebacker Devin White tackle Saints wide receiver Alvin Kamara.
Quarterback Tom Brady hands off to running back Ronald Jones II during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Running Back Ronald Jones II runs the ball during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Tackle Tristan Wirfs during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady and running back Ronald Jones celebrate a touchdown during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski celebrate a touchdown during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Buccaneers offense during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady scores his first touchdown with the Buccaneers during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady scores his first touchdown with the Buccaneers during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady scores his first touchdown with the Buccaneers during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady and the Buccaneers offense celebrate a touchdown during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Outside Linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul with Saints quarterback Drew Brees during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Inside linebacker Devin White during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Inside Linebacker Devin White during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Inside linebacker Devin White during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Inside linebacker Devin White during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Inside linebacker Devin White during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Inside linebacker Devin White during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Inside linebacker Devin White during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Buccaneers defense during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Outside Linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Outside Linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Defensive lineman William Gholston during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Defensive Lineman William Gholston during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Defensive Lineman William Gholston during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians with quarterback Tom Brady during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Buccaneers offense during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Cornerback Carlton Davis during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Tackle Donovan Smith during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Wide receiver Justin Watson during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Running back Ronald Jones II runs the ball against New Orleans during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Running back Ronald Jones II runs the ball during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Tight end Rob Gronkowski runs the ball during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Running Back Leonard Fournette runs the ball against the Saints during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Wide receiver Mike Evans during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Tight end Cameron Brate during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Cornerback Carlton Davis during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Buccaneers defense during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Outside Linebacker Shaquil Barrett during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Outside Linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul tackles New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Inside Linebacker Devin White during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Wide receiver Chris Godwin runs the ball during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Tight end Rob Gronkowski during Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Running back Ronald Jones II runs the ball during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Tight end O.J. Howard Quarterback during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Defensive Lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Linebackers Jason Pierre-Paul and Lavonte David during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Linebackers Jason Pierre-Paul and Lavonte David during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Linebackers Lavonte David, Jason Pierre-Paul and Devin White during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Outside Linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul tackles New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Outside Linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul celebrates a sack on New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Outside Linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul celebrates a sack on New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Inside linebacker Lavonte David celebrates during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Inside linebacker Lavonte David during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Inside linebacker Lavonte David during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Wide receiver Scotty Miller runs the ball during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Kicker Ryan Succop kicks a field goal during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Kicker Ryan Succop makes a field goal vs the New Orleans Saints during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Punter Bradley Pinion punts the ball during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Wide receiver Scotty Miller during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Wide receiver Mike Evans during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Quarterback Tom Brady during the second half of Bucs vs. Saints, Week One
Both the Buccaneers and Panthers will be looking for their first wins of 2020. Tampa Bay lost the turnover battle and, largely for that reason, the game on Sunday against the Saints, 34-23. The Panthers played host to the Las Vegas Raiders in a back-and-forth affair that ended in a 34-30 victory for the visitors.
Though they lost on Josh Jacob's third touchdown of the game Sunday, the Panthers still made great use of one of the NFL's most consistently productive weapons, as running back Christian McCaffrey rolled up 134 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. Last year, the Buccaneers and Panthers split their two contests but Tampa Bay managed to hold McCaffrey to 110 yards of offense in those two matchups combined.
The Panthers did debut a new offensive weapon in their opener, as former Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson opened his Carolina career with 115 yards and a touchdown on six receptions. Anderson was the favored target of new Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, the former Saint who threw for 270 yards in his Carolina debut.
The Buccaneers will counter with a defense that held Drew Brees and the Saints to 270 total yards of offense, including 189 through the air. CB Carlton Davis provided much of the coverage in the opener on All-Pro WR Michael Thomas, who was limited to 17 yards on three receptions, his most unproductive game in almost three years.
After one week, both the Buccaneers and Panthers find themselves looking up at the Saints, a game back of the three-time defending NFC South champs. A second straight division matchup could prove critical in the Bucs' attempts to keep pace with their foes from New Orleans. It could also be Tom Brady's first win as a Buccaneer…and the 220th of his career in the regular season.
