Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2020 NFL schedule: 5 must-win games

1. Home: New Orleans Saints

Winning a wild card is nice, but the Buccaneers have to be thinking bigger if they want to make a playoff run. Tom Brady is used to winning division titles in New England and he will surely demand the kind of excellence from his new teammates that results in a home playoff game for the Buccaneers.

The biggest obstacle to Tampa Bay’s first division title since 2007 is the New Orleans Saints, one of the best teams in football. The Saints are a more complete version of the team that the Buccaneers want to be thanks to deeper pools of talent at the skill positions and on defense.

The season series wasn’t pretty for Tampa Bay in 2019, as the Saints swept both meetings. New Orleans absolutely dominated the matchup at Raymond James Stadium, walking away with a 34-17 win in November.

Finding a way to beat the Saints in the Superdome is going to be very difficult, so it is imperative that the Buccaneers find a way to defend their home field. A win at Raymond James Stadium over New Orleans guarantees at least a split of the season series, which would be a big help to Tampa Bay’s NFC South chances.

Getting in the playoffs is the goal, and having Brady under center will give Tampa Bay a shot in January; hosting at least one playoff game boosts the odds of a deep run even more. Finding a way to get past the Saints is Tampa Bay’s top priority, making this game the one that the Buccaneers absolutely have to win in 2020.