Joe Burrow vs Baker Mayfield: $55M QBs COLLIDE! Cincinnati Bengals vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Preview

The Cincinnati Bengals officially open the 2026 NFL season Sunday, September 13, when Joe Burrow and the Bengals host Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paycor Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET as Cincinnati begins a season filled with Super Bowl expectations.

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For the Bengals, everything starts with Burrow and an offense that once again features one of the NFL’s most dangerous collections of playmakers. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins give Cincinnati an elite receiving duo, while running back Chase Brown provides another explosive option out of the backfield.

Protecting Burrow will be one of the biggest keys against a Tampa Bay defense looking to generate more pressure in 2026. The Buccaneers added first-round edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. to a defensive front that will attempt to disrupt Cincinnati’s passing game. If the Bengals offensive line can keep Burrow clean, Chase and Higgins could create major matchup problems for the Tampa Bay secondary.

The Cincinnati Bengals defense will also be under the microscope in Week 1.

Cincinnati made significant changes to its defensive personnel during the offseason, highlighted by the addition of star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. The Bengals hope Lawrence can transform their defensive front, improve a struggling run defense and create more opportunities for Cincinnati’s pass rush.

That revamped defense will immediately be tested by Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers offense.

Mayfield enters another season as Tampa Bay’s starting quarterback after throwing for 3,693 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2025. With longtime Buccaneers star Mike Evans no longer in Tampa Bay, second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka becomes an even more important part of the passing attack after recording 938 receiving yards as a rookie.

Running back Bucky Irving could be another major factor for Tampa Bay. Irving rushed for more than 1,100 yards as a rookie before injuries limited him during the 2025 season. Cincinnati’s ability to contain Irving and force Mayfield into obvious passing situations could determine how successful the Bengals defense is in its 2026 debut.

The Bengals will also be looking to avoid the slow starts that have plagued Cincinnati in recent seasons. With Burrow, Chase, Higgins and Brown leading the offense, Cincinnati enters the year expecting to compete with the Baltimore Ravens for the AFC North championship and establish itself as one of the top contenders in the AFC.

Sunday provides the first opportunity to prove those expectations are justified.

Can Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase start the season with an explosive performance? Will Dexter Lawrence and the new-look Cincinnati Bengals defense make an immediate impact? And can the Bengals contain Baker Mayfield, Bucky Irving and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense?

The road to the 2026 NFL Playoffs begins Sunday at Paycor Stadium as the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers meet in a highly anticipated Week 1 matchup.