The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are about to play their latest regular-season opener in almost exactly 40 years. They are more than ready.
Sunday's visit from the Chicago Bears was supposed to be the home opener, after a Week One battle at Miami. However, Hurricane Irma scrambled the schedule and now the Bears game is doubling as the much-anticipated debut of a 2017 Buccaneers squad that has serious playoff aspirations. In 1977, the Buccaneers' first regular-season game fell on September 18, but that was as planned at the beginning of a 14-game slate. This year is, well, different.