The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ran their 2025 record to 6-2 on Sunday afternoon with a defense-led 23-3 win over the division-rival New Orleans Saints in the Caesars Superdome. That will give the players something extra to savor as the Buccaneers head into their bye week in Week Nine. Following that much-needed break, the Bucs will return to action with a home game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, November 9, with kickoff set for 1:00 p.m. ET.
The Buccaneers 6-2 record gives them a two-game edge over the 4-4 Carolina Panthers. It also sends them into the bye week tied for the most victories in a crowded and top-heavy NFC race. The Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles each have six wins while the Green Bay Packers are 4-1-1 heading into a Sunday night game in Pittsburgh. The Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks are all 5-2 and currently enjoying their bye weeks, while the San Francisco 49ers dropped to 5-3 with a loss to Houston on Sunday.
The Patriots are also 6-2 and have been one of the NFL's most pleasant surprises in 2025, although they do have one more game to play before coming to Tampa, a home game against the Falcons next Sunday. New England won its fifth game in a row on Sunday in convincing fashion, downing the Cleveland Browns, 32-13. Second-year passer Drake Maye continued to look like one of the league's ascending stars, throwing for 282 yards and three touchdowns and also rushing for 50 yards.
The Buccaneers are hoping for reinforcements coming out of the bye. They won in New Orleans despite being without running back Bucky Irving, wide receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan and offensive lineman Luke Goedeke and Cody Mauch. Mauch is out for the season and Evans will be sidelined until at least the very end of the regular season, but the others are expected back at some point, as is outside linebacker Haason Reddick.
