The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Sept. 13, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, for their opening game of the NFL season.
For the Bengals, led by quarterback Joe Burrow, the game marks the beginning of a season described as "now or never." After missing the playoffs for the past three seasons, Burrow, along with teammates Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Orlando Brown Jr., and Dexter Lawerence II, aim to turn the team's fortunes around.
"I've tried to instill an urgency in the room, a palpable pressure — because we have guys playing and coaching for their jobs this year, and that's how I'm looking at it," Burrow told ESPN's Marry Smith. "I'm playing for my job this year."
The Buccaneers are in a similar situation. The team had a disappointing 2025 season, starting 6-2 before finishing 8-9 and narrowly missing the postseason.
Oddsmakers favor the Bengals by 3.5 points, but both teams are considered to be under significant pressure to succeed from the outset of the season.
The game is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast on FOX. Live streaming is available through Sling TV, with the Select plan starting at $19.99 per month and the Blue plan at $45.99 per month, offering access to FOX and additional channels.