Senior Author\/Editor
After a rousing win over division-rival Atlanta in Week One, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hit the street once more in Week Two to tackle the Texans in Houston. It’s Tampa Bay’s first interconference recreation of the season and its first look in prime time, because the Buccaneers and Texans are the primary act in a Monday Evening Soccer doubleheader. It is usually a possibility or the Bucs to perform one thing that has change into acquainted in recent times and one thing the franchise has by no means executed earlier than.
Already one in every of solely two groups within the NFL, together with Philadelphia, to win every of their final 5 season openers, the Buccaneers may additionally go to 2-0 for the fifth 12 months in a row. That can solely occur, nonetheless, if the Bucs can do one thing they’ve by no means executed in 49 earlier seasons: win a recreation in Houston. The Buccaneers had been 0-4 in opposition to the Oilers on the street earlier than they moved to Tennessee and have misplaced their earlier three contests in Houston in opposition to the Texans.
As well as, prime time has not been sort to the Buccaneers in recent times. Although the group believes it’s nothing greater than coincidence and never any form of psychological block, it did lose all six of its regular-season night time video games throughout the 2023-24 seasons. As quarterback Baker Mayfield famous, spending the day in a lodge room whilst you’re already wanting to get the motion began is the draw back of prime-time video games, however he nonetheless is worked up by the newest alternative to be alone on the NFL stage.
“Then, on the opposite aspect of it, Monday Evening Soccer is simply so superior,” stated Mayfield. “Rising up and watching it, it is a surreal factor to have the ability to do, figuring out you are the one recreation of the night time and the entire nation’s watching.”
The Buccaneers tried to simulate a number of the technique of getting ready for prime-time video games in the course of the near-week it spent in Pittsburgh in the course of the preseason. Scheduling one in every of their practices throughout coaching camp for the night was executed for a similar purpose.
“The night time follow that we had in coaching camp and going to Pittsburgh early, dealing with that entire week after which enjoying at night time, we have had some expertise with it so we all know the right way to bide our time,” stated Head Coach Todd Bowles. It is by no means nice laying round within the lodge all day however we make ourselves helpful. We perceive how we play, what time we have to play and the way a lot relaxation we’d like and we get that accordingly so we’re able to go.”
The Bucs are much more involved with the challenges of going through the Texans than the sport’s venue or scheduled kickoff time. Houston has completed 10-7 and received the AFC South in every of DeMeco Ryans’ first two seasons as head coach, and the Bucs nicely keep in mind the wild 39-37 shootout loss they had been handed the final time they visited NRG Stadium in 2023. Houston had one 11 video games whole<\/em> over the earlier three seasons earlier than Ryans arrival however have rapidly remade themselves of their coach’s picture and constructed one of many league’s scariest defenses from entrance to again.
“It begins with DeMeco Ryans, simply the kind of man he’s, the kind of chief, a man that performed efficiently within the NFL as a linebacker,” Mayfield asserted. “You perceive that he’ll demand his guys to play extraordinarily laborious. That is the one factor I keep in mind; clearly they’ve some new items from two years in the past, however they fly to the ball. They’re going to play actually laborious.”
The Houston protection options two edge rushers who hit double digits in sacks in 2024 with Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter; a rangy tone-setter within the center in Azeez Al-Shaair; and a top-notch cornerback duo in Professional Bowler Derek Stingley and 2024 rookie standout Kamari Lassiter. Security Jalen Pitre can also be a big-time playmaker within the slot.
“[It’s] simply how bodily they’re and the way they arrive off the ball. We consult with it as a ‘jet method,’ the place they’re jetting up the sphere. Their potential with these guys \u2013 whether or not it is Anderson coming off the sting or Danielle Hunter \u2013 they actually set the tone of the protection. However you’ll be able to inform from that place right through the stack linebackers and Azeez after which Pitre enjoying the nickel, they run to the soccer. It is quite a lot of the issues that we harp on as an offense with our guys working to the ball and serving to one another up and enjoying tougher than the opposite group. They embody that as nicely.”
Houston’s offense obtained off to a gradual begin in Week One with simply 9 factors scored on a trio of discipline objectives, however the depth chart is loaded with elite expertise, beginning with third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud. The 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Yr torched the Bucs for 470 yards and 5 touchdowns in that aforementioned shootout in his debut season. His supporting solid consists of Nico Collins, who had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2023 and 2024, in addition to fellow veteran wideout Christian Kirk and rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.
“Very fast launch, very robust arm, very correct,” stated Bowles. “He can run, he can see the blitzes coming, he can learn coverages very nicely and he is very correct. When he will get to plant his ft and survey the sphere he can kill you.
“With Nico, it is dimension and pace, dimension and pace. He is very athletic that manner. Kirk can get down the sphere. They drafted Higgins from Iowa State\u2026they obtained two from Iowa State truly who can play nicely, very good-size receivers, superb arms. They’ll damage you.”
The Buccaneers’ after all, can counter with expertise of their very own that has produced 5 straight playoff seasons. Mayfield leads the NFL because the begin of 2023 with 72 landing passes, rookie wideout caught two landing passes in his NFL debut in Atlanta and the Bucs’ protection held the Falcons to only one extra landing after they’d scored on their opening possession. To get that rating that briefly put them forward with two minutes left to play, Atlanta needed to run eight performs from contained in the Bucs’ five-yard line.
Now they’ve to sit down yet one more day to place the pads again on and attempt to show they’re a prime-time contender, however will probably be well worth the wait to have the league’s consideration on Monday night time.
“I do know they’re juiced up,” stated Grizzard. “Anytime you could have an opportunity to play on Monday night time, particularly now it is on the street, it is a hostile atmosphere, very loud atmosphere and in opposition to one of many higher defenses within the NFL, will probably be an excellent problem. I do know they’re prepared for it.”
GAME AND BROADCAST DETAILS<\/strong>
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0) at Houston Texans (0-1)
Monday, September 15, 7:00 p.m. ET
NRG Stadium (capability: 71,995)
Houston, Texas
Tv: ABC
TV Broadcast Crew: Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (analyst), Laura Rutledge and Lisa Salters (reporters)
Radio: 98Rock (WXTB, 97.9 FM), Flagship Station
Radio Broadcast Crew: Gene Deckerhoff (play-by-play), Dave Moore (analyst), T.J. Rives (reporter)
Spanish Radio: 96.1 Caliente
Spanish Radio Broadcast Crew: Carlos Bohorquez (play-by-play), Martin Gram\u00e1tica (analyst), Santiago Gram\u00e1tica (reporter)
ALL-TIME HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES<\/strong>
The arrival of the Houston Texans because the NFL’s thirty second group in 2002 prompted the NFL to alter its scheduling format to 1 that relied on rotating divisional matchups. For the Buccaneers, who play within the reverse convention from the Texans, meaning their complete sequence historical past with the Texans was made up of 1 date each 4 years, like clockwork. Nonetheless, the “seventeenth recreation” that was added to the schedule in 2021 opened up the potential of extra Bucs-Texans matchups, and for the primary time that has come to cross. As a result of the Bucs and Texans every completed first of their respective divisions in 2024 and the NFC South and AFC South are matched up for the seventeenth recreation in 2025, we get an additional assembly between the 2 groups midway in between their regularly-scheduled contests The Bucs and Texans first met in Tampa in 2003 and meaning, previous to this 12 months, they’d attached six instances, most just lately at NRG Stadium in Houston.
That contest in 2023 was a particularly memorable one, even when the recollections aren’t notably comfortable for the Buccaneers. In a coming-out social gathering that launched him in direction of stardom, then-rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud \u2013 the second-overall decide within the 2023 draft after Bryce Younger \u2013 threw for 470 yards, 5 touchdowns and no interceptions in a 39-37 shootout win. Baker Mayfield additionally threw two landing passes, together with one to tight finish Cade Otton with 46 seconds left that gave the Buccaneers a 37-33 lead. Extremely Stroud wanted simply 40 seconds (with two timeouts concerned) to take his group 75 yards and hit Tank Dell on the game-winning 15-yard landing cross.
Tampa Bay received the primary contest between the 2 groups in ’03 after they had been the NFL’s defending champion, although it occurred to be the final of seven victories for the Buccaneers that season. It was additionally their final win within the sequence, as Houston has received the final 5. Previous to the 2023 assembly described above, the Texans got here to Tampa in 2019 and received a back-and-forth contest, 23-20, on a fourth-quarter discipline objective by Ka’imi Fairbairn. The Bucs rallied from 14 factors down with a Justin Watson landing catch and a Ronald Jones scoring run within the second quarter, however Jameis Winston was picked off 4 instances, together with one final time with lower than two minutes left within the recreation.
So Bucs-Texans is a short historical past lesson, and earlier than the final two video games, not a really aggressive one. The primary 5 video games within the sequence had been all determined by double-digit margins. The enlargement Texans had been nonetheless discovering their ft in 2003 when the reigning champs beat them 16-3 to open the sequence. Working again Thomas Jones had the most important day of his transient time as a Buccaneer, dashing for 134 yards and the sport’s solely landing and Greg Spires sacked backup quarterback Dave Ragone 2.5 instances.
Alternately, in 2011, the Texans had been on the way in which to their very first playoff berth whereas the Buccaneers had been limping to a 4-12 end, and that received led to Houston’s favor, 37-9. Houston scored on the sport’s first play, an 80-yard Matt Schaub-Jacoby Jones connection and working again Arian Foster did the remainder with 186 yards from scrimmage and two scores.
The 2007 assembly in Houston appeared as if it had the potential to be tightly-contested, with the 8-4 Buccaneers taking up the 6-7 Texans, however the dwelling group received that one by two touchdowns. The Bucs did go on to the playoffs that 12 months whereas Houston made it to .500 for the primary time in franchise historical past.
The Buccaneers had<\/em> been to Houston earlier than the 2002 enlargement; their first regular-season recreation ever, in reality, was within the previous Astrodome. However that was in opposition to the Houston Oilers, who at the moment are the Tennessee Titans, in order that recreation is technically a part of the Bucs-Titans all-time ledger. The Buccaneers performed 4 regular-season video games in Houston earlier than the Oilers moved to Nashville and misplaced all of them, so Monday’s journey is, in reality, one other alternative for the franchise’s first win in that metropolis.
Additionally, the Buccaneers and Texans do have an intensive preseason<\/em> historical past collectively. When Houston first joined the league in 2002, the 2 groups agreed to a nine-year run of preseason video games, assembly within the final warm-up recreation yearly via 2010. The groups alternated enjoying host to these preseason finales, beginning with Houston in 2002, in order that’s 5 extra journeys the Buccaneers have made to Texas. Not that it is notably related, however the Buccaneers did<\/em> win seven of these 9 video games, together with 4 of 5 in Houston.
Previous to 2023, the latest recreation in Houston occurred in September of 2015. Kyle Brindza drilled a 58-yard discipline objective for the Buccaneers, who had been truly successful by a 9-7 rating after a Charles Sims landing catch. Nonetheless, Houston scored the sport’s ultimate 12 factors as its offense racked up 30 first downs and working again Alfred Blue ran for 139 yards and a landing.
NOTABLE CONNECTIONS<\/strong>
View the postgame celebration of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ common season Week 1 win vs. the Atlanta Falcons
SENIOR COACHING STAFFS<\/strong>
Tampa Bay:<\/strong>
Houston:<\/strong>
KEY 2025 ROSTER ADDITIONS<\/strong>
Buccaneers<\/strong>:
Texans:<\/strong>
ADDITIONAL 2025 CHANGES\/DEVELOPMENTS OF NOTE<\/strong>
Buccaneers:<\/strong>
Texans:<\/strong>
INJURY REPORT<\/strong>
Key:<\/strong>
DNP: Didn’t take part in follow
LP: Restricted participation in follow
FP: Full participation in follow
NL: Not listed
Buccaneers:<\/strong>
The primary damage report of the week will likely be added on Thursday afternoon.
Texans:<\/strong>
The primary damage report of the week will likely be added on Thursday afternoon.
WEATHER FORECAST<\/strong>
Domed stadium with retractable roof. Outdoors night climate: Clear skies. Excessive of 93, low of 74, 5% probability of rain, 70% humidity, winds out of the ESE at 10-15 mph.
GAME REFEREE<\/strong>
Head referee: Shawn Hochuli (12 season, eighth as referee)
BETTING LINE<\/strong>
INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS (ultimate 2024)<\/strong>
Buccaneers-<\/strong>
Factors Scored: Ok Chase McLauglin, 144
Touchdowns: WR Mike Evans, 11
Passing Yards: QB Baker Mayfield, 4,500
Passer Score: QB Baker Mayfield, 106.8
Speeding Yards: RB Bucky Irving, 1,122
Receptions: WR Mike Evans, 74
Receiving Yards: WR Mike Evans, 1,004
Interceptions: CB Zyon McCollum\/S Tykee Smith, 2
Sacks: DL Calijah Kancey, 7.5
Tackles: LB Lavonte David, 122
Texans-<\/strong>
Factors Scored: Ok Ka’imi Fairbairn, 142
Touchdowns: Joe Mixon*, 12
Passing Yards: QB C.J. Stroud, 3,727
Passer Score: QB C.J. Stroud, 87.0
Speeding Yards: RB Joe Mixon*, 1,016
Receptions: WR Nico Collins, 68
Receiving Yards: WR Nico Collins, 1,006
Interceptions: S Calen Bullock\/CB Derek Stingley Jr., 5
Sacks: DE Danielle Hunter, 12.0
Tackles: LB Henry To’oTo’o, 105
* At present on reserve\/non-football damage listing<\/em>
TEAM STAT RANKINGS (ultimate 2024)<\/strong>
Buccaneers-<\/strong>
Scoring Offense: 4th (29.5 ppg)
Complete Offense: third (399.6 ypg)
Speeding Offense: 4th (149.2 ypg)
Passing Offense: third (250.4 ypg)
First Downs Per Recreation: 2nd (23.2)
Third-Down Pct.: 1st (50.9%)
Sacks Per Go Try Allowed: seventeenth (7.01%)
Pink Zone TD Pct.: 4th (66.7%)
Scoring Protection: sixteenth (22.6 ppg)
Complete Protection: 18th (341.8 ypg)
Speeding Protection: 4th (97.8 ypg)
Passing Protection: twenty ninth (243.9 ypg)
First Downs Allowed Per Recreation: Twentieth (19.8)
Third-Down Pct. Allowed: 14th (38.1%)
Sacks Per Go Try: sixteenth (7.30%)
Pink Zone TD Pct. Allowed: 14th (54.4%)
Turnover Margin: t-Twentieth (-5)
Texans-<\/strong>
Scoring Offense: nineteenth (21.9 ppg)
Complete Offense: twenty second (319.7 ypg)
Speeding Offense: fifteenth (112.3 ypg)
Passing Offense: twenty first (207.4 ypg)
First Downs Per Recreation: twenty fifth (18.1)
Third-Down Pct.: Twentieth (37.7%)
Sacks Per Go Try Allowed: twenty fifth (9.47%)
Pink Zone TD Pct.: twenty sixth (49.1)
Scoring Protection: 14th (21.9 ppg)
Complete Protection: sixth (315.0 ypg)
Speeding Protection: eleventh (114.0 ypg)
Passing Protection: sixth (201.0 ypg)
First Downs Allowed Per Recreation: 4th (18.4)
Third-Down Pct. Allowed: seventh (35.9%)
Sacks Per Go Try: 4th (8.84%)
Pink Zone TD Pct. Allowed: twenty seventh (63.6%)
Turnover Margin: seventh (+10)
WHAT TO WATCH FOR<\/strong>
NOTABLY QUOTABLE<\/strong>
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Week 3<\/strong>
September 21<\/strong>
1:00 PM ET<\/strong>
Week 4<\/strong>
September 28<\/strong>
1:00 PM ET<\/strong>
Week 6<\/strong>
October 12<\/strong>
1:00 PM ET<\/strong>
Week 10<\/strong>
November 9<\/strong>
1:00 PM ET<\/strong>
Week 13<\/strong>
November 30<\/strong>
1:00 PM ET<\/strong>
Week 14<\/strong>
December 7<\/strong>
1:00 PM ET<\/strong>
Week 15<\/strong>
December 11<\/strong>
8:15 PM ET<\/strong>
Week 18<\/strong>
January 4<\/strong>
Time TBD<\/strong>
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