One of the biggest components of the new CBA is the 17th game that the NFL plans to add to the regular season schedule. Many believe that this will happen in 2021.
It didn’t take long for word to get out regarding the Buccaneers’ newest opponent. The Athletic’s Greg Auman reported the Bucs would play the Colts back on February 18. Now, Pro Football Talk’s Peter King is also saying that the Bucs could play Carson Wentz and the Indianapolis Colts in Lucas Oil Stadium.
Tampa Bay currently has the league’s second-easiest strength of schedule (.451) before adding the Colts to the list. The Bucs’ 2021 schedule will actually get slightly harder if this happens. They would move up to No. 29, which is considered to be the fourth-easiest schedule (.456) in the NFL.
The Colts finished the 2020 season with an 11-5 record. They were able to make it to the postseason, but suffered a 27-24 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Wild Card Weekend. Philip Rivers retired soon after, which paved the way for Indy to make the move for Wentz. The Colts now represent the sixth team on the Buccaneers’ 2021 list of opponents to make the playoffs in 2020. Indy will also be the fifth team on Tampa Bay’s schedule that won 10 or more games last year.
Keep in mind that this is all conditional. There’s still a chance that the NFL doesn’t add the extra game in 2021, but with the loss of 2020 revenue due to COVID-19, one would assume that the NFL is going to do everything it can to make up for said loss(es) in 2021.
The NFL will release the final schedule for all 32 teams at some point in April.
Who do YOU want to add to the Buccaneers’ 2021 schedule? Do you like the thought of playing the Colts on their home turf? Be sure to let us know via the comment section below!
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