2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Team Schedule

Arguably no team in the NFL got as big of a facelift in the offseason as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Coach Jon Gruden is gone, as are quarterback Jeff Garcia and future Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks, among others.

In is first-time head coach Raheem Morris, whom the Bucs hope is the next Mike Tomlin (also a former Bucs assistant). Who will be the starting quarterback in Week 1? That’s still not clear. The Bucs took Josh Freeman out of Kansas State in the first round of this year’s draft, but it’s unlikely he sees the field early in the season if it all. It’s likely going to come down to Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich as to who gets the starting job for the opener.

The TV networks clearly don’t think too much of the Bucs, as they don’t have a single prime-time game scheduled. Tampa Bay’s Week 2 trip to Buffalo is the franchise’s first ever there. And the Bucs have a “home” game in London against the Patriots.

Tampa Bay has the fifth-toughest schedule in the league next year based on its opponent’s 148-107-1 mark in 2008. Seven of those teams reached the playoffs last season. Ten of Tampa Bay’s opponents posted winning records while 13 were .500 or better in 2008. By comparison, the Bucs strength of schedule was 20th at the start of 2008 when they went 9-7 and missed the playoffs by dropping their final four games, leading to Gruden’s firing.

Tampa Bay will play two straight away games three different times during the 2009 regular season, but the Bucs will not play two consecutive home contests (at least in Tampa), in part because of that London trip.

The Bucs are +3600 on WagerWeb.com to win Super Bowl XLIV.

BUCS’ 2009 SCHEDULE

Week 1: Sun, Sept. 13 vs. Dallas Cowboys FOX 1 p.m.

Week 2: Sun, Sept. 20 at Buffalo Bills FOX 4:05 p.m.

Week 3: Sun, Sept. 27 vs. New York Giants FOX 1 p.m.

Week 4: Sun, Oct. 4 at Washington Redskins FOX 1 p.m.

Week 5: Sun, Oct. 11 at Philadelphia Eagles FOX 1 p.m.

Week 6: Sun, Oct. 18 vs. Carolina Panthers FOX 1 p.m.

Week 7: Sun, Oct. 25 vs. New England Patriots CBS 1 p.m.

Week 8: Bye

Week 9: Sun, Nov. 8 vs. Green Bay Packers FOX 1 p.m.

Week 10: Sun, Nov. 15 at Miami Dolphins FOX 1 p.m.

Week 11: Sun, Nov. 22 vs. New Orleans Saints FOX 1 p.m.

Week 12: Sun, Nov. 29 at Atlanta Falcons FOX 1 p.m.

Week 13: Sun, Dec. 6 at Carolina Panthers FOX 1 p.m.

Week 14: Sun, Dec. 13 vs. New York Jets CBS 1 p.m.

Week 15: Sun, Dec. 20 at Seattle Seahawks FOX 4:15 p.m.

Week 16: Sun, Dec. 27 at New Orleans Saints FOX 1 p.m.

Week 17: Sun, Jan. 3 vs. Atlanta Falcons FOX 1 p.m.

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