Of course, we will not know for sure until the schedule is released tonight who the Bucs will host to open the season, much less who the Bucs will play when in the 16 other games in the NFL’s first 17-game regular season schedule.

We know who. Just not when.

Even yesterday, there were so many leaks floating on social media. All of them can’t be correct, can they?

A Bills beat writer last night suggested the Bills will not open the season against the Bucs. That will disappoint several at the NFL Network.

Though NFL Network will air a show at 8 p.m. about the schedule release, several NFL Network talking heads hope the Bucs to open against the Bills on Thursday Night Football. The opening game will be broadcast on NBC (WFLA-TV, Channel 8 locally).

Joe Thomas: The NFL has to open the season with Bills Mafia making their way down to Raymond James Stadium. The Bills are the top team on the Bucs’ home schedule in 2021, making this clash of two of the most intriguing teams in the league a perfect way to get the season rolling.

Scott Pioli: I’d like to see the Bucs host the Buffalo Bills in the NFL’s Kickoff Game. A matchup against another top team in the NFL, like the Bills, would get the 2021 season started with a bang. The storylines are endless, but more importantly, it would be a great showcase of two teams that should be very good again next season.

Charley Casserly: The best game on paper is Bills at Bucs. Tampa Bay returns all of its starters, while Buffalo retained most of them. There are several storylines that surround both teams heading into the 2021 campaign that I can’t wait to see play out:

* Will the Bucs pick up where they left off?
* How will they respond to being the hunted?
* Can Josh Allen take his game to the next level in Year 4?
* Will the Bills’ receivers — with the addition of Emmanuel Sanders — be too much for the Bucs’ secondary?
* Can the Bucs’ running backs duplicate their 2020 success?
* Has Buffalo’s run defense improved?

I need answers! Is it September yet?

Joe expects a bunch more leads to come out later this morning and into the afternoon. Joe wouldn’t be surprised if some will have pieced together the Bucs schedule before it is released tonight.

One juicy tidbit, but Joe has no idea if it is true as ticket salesmen can stretch the truth to close a deal: Joe heard yesterday from a Bucs season ticket holder who regularly buys luxury suite tickets for Bucs road games. He was contacted by a Saints ticket sales rep to gauge interest in buying suite tickets for the Bucs-Saints game in New Orleans. The sales rep told Joe’s contact that the game in the Big Easy will be on Halloween.

How cool would that be? Bucs in New Orleans on Halloween weekend?