Philly takedown to Fitzmagic: Ranking the Bucs’ best season openers

Should they break out of the gate as cleanly as they have in recent years, the Bucs can carve a little history in their season opener against the Commanders.

A victory at Raymond James Stadium would be the team’s fourth consecutive season-opening win, establishing a franchise record. The Bucs have won three openers in a row only three times (including 1979-1981 and 2016-2018) and remain below .500 (22-26) in season debuts.

But seemingly every dud on that list is offset by a dandy. Turns out, some of the most mesmerizing victories in team lore have come on opening day (or night).

To kick off another year, and commemorate some of those rousing starts, we offer our list of the 10 greatest season openers in franchise history.

10. Bucs 21, Eagles 6

Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia

Sept. 3, 1995

After winning four of their last five games in an otherwise dreadful 1994 season, the Bucs added to that fleeting momentum with this stunning beatdown in the Eagles’ back yard. Tampa Bay sacked Randall Cunningham five times and got two scoring passes from Trent Dilfer — including a picturesque 64-yard bomb to Horace Copeland — for its eighth win in 10 games dating to 1994. Alas, the surge would be short-lived; the Bucs would start 5-2 but lose seven of their last nine, resulting in coach Sam Wyche’s dismissal.

9. Bucs 23, Cardinals 7

Tampa Stadium

Sept. 6, 1992

The Bucs unveiled a new coach (Sam Wyche) and their garish orange pants on this same searing afternoon. While neither would last, both made resounding first impressions. In the wake of nine consecutive losing seasons, Wyche’s debut represented a model of efficiency. Tampa Bay struck a convincing offensive balance (128 rushing, 140 passing yards), committed zero turnovers and was whistled for only three penalties, offering a glimmer of future hope that would be fleeting. Wyche’s inaugural team would finish 5-11.

8. Bucs 24, Vikings 13

HHH Metrodome, Minneapolis

Sept. 11, 2005

Mired in a two-year funk since their Super Bowl 37 triumph, the Bucs began their resuscitation with this stirring road performance. The defense forced Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper into five turnovers, including two of his three interceptions in the last 1:45. Brian Kelly had two of the picks, including one at his own 6 with 1:45 to play that set up rookie tailback Cadillac Williams’ game-clinching 71-yard touchdown gallop three plays later. Williams finished with 148 yards on 27 carries.

7. Bucs 19, Cowboys 3

AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Sept. 11, 2022

Six months after his un-retirement, Tom Brady brought the Bucs to the heart of Texas for this Sunday night season opener in Todd Bowles’ debut as head coach. Turned out, Brady wasn’t nearly as dazzling as Bowles’ defense, which held the Cowboys to 244 yards and a woeful 3-for-15 effort on third down. Ryan Succop had four field goals and Leonard Fournette ran for 127 yards, but the game’s endearing image will be Brady’s 5-yard fade pass to outstretched receiver Mike Evans for the game’s lone touchdown late in the third quarter.

6. Bucs 48, Falcons 10

Tampa Stadium

Sept. 13, 1987

To the shock of Tampa Bay and the NFL at large, the Ray Perkins era got off to a rousing start. In fact, this may have been the high-water mark of Perkins’ mediocre tenure. Thirty-three-year-old journeyman Steve DeBerg set a franchise single-game record with five touchdown passes (tied many times since) while the defense held Atlanta to 197 yards and forced three turnovers in the most lopsided season-opening win in Bucs lore. The euphoria was fleeting; the Bucs would finish 4-11 in this strike-abbreviated season.

5. Bucs 31, Lions 16

Tampa Stadium

Sept. 1, 1979

In the wake of three woeful seasons (including a winless one in 1976), the Bucs served notice they were evolving from patsy to playoff contender in this rare Saturday night season opener. Led by Jerry Eckwood, the Bucs amassed 229 rushing yards and got a touchdown from Lee Roy Selmon (on a 29-yard fumble return) in a triumph that triggered a 5-0 start (and eventual playoff berth). “If they called off the rest of the season right now, we’d be Super Bowl champs,” coach John McKay quipped.

4. Bucs 48, Saints 40

Superdome, New Orleans

Sept. 9, 2018

Fitzmagic at its finest. With starting quarterback Jameis Winston suspended, 35-year-old journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick had the game of his life in one of the NFL’s most raucous cauldrons. Outdueling Saints icon Drew Brees, Fitzpatrick passed for a career-high 417 yards with four touchdowns and ran for another score in this season-opening stunner. His top targets: Desean Jackson (five catches, 146 yards, two TDs) and Mike Evans (seven catches, 147 yards, TD). “I’d like to announce Fitzmagic is alive and well,” Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said.

3. Bucs 31, Cowboys 29

Raymond James Stadium

Sept. 9, 2021

Thanks to the previous season’s Super Bowl title (not to mention the global appeal of Tom Brady), the Bucs opened the 2021 season on a Thursday night and delivered a comeback worthy of prime time. Down by one with 1:24 remaining following a Cowboys field goal (created by a Chris Godwin fumble near the goal line), Brady drove the Bucs 57 yards in 11 plays, setting up Ryan Succop’s 36-yard field goal with two seconds remaining. Godwin redeemed himself with a 24-yard catch on the drive, putting the ball at the 18 and setting up the winner.

2. Bucs 17, Eagles 0

Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

Sept. 8, 2003

Less than eight months after losing at home to the Bucs (see Barber, Ronde) in the NFC title game, the Eagles presumed they would exact payback on a national stage (Monday Night Football) in their brand-new digs. Didn’t work out that way. Instead of the Eagles christening Lincoln Financial Field, the Bucs commandeered it. Donovan McNabb and Co. netted only 245 yards and reached the red zone only twice as Monte Kiffin’s defense — led by Simeon Rice (two sacks, forced fumble) — staged a prime-time clinic.

1. Bucs 13, 49ers 6

Houlihan’s Stadium

Aug. 31, 1997

On this sultry Sunday afternoon, 15 consecutive seasons of mediocrity were vanquished with one daunting defensive exhibition. Serving notice that they finally had regained NFL relevance, the Bucs opened Year 2 of the Tony Dungy era by pummeling the heavily-favored 49ers into submission. By game’s end, Steve Young had exited with a concussion (courtesy of Warren Sapp) and Jerry Rice had left with a season-ending knee injury (also courtesy of Sapp) as San Francisco failed to score a touchdown in a game for the first time since 1991.

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