It's finally here! The Pittsburgh Steelers getting set to take on the Buccaneers tonight on the road in Tamp Bay, Florida. With this being the first preseason game of the year for Mike Tomlin's crew, we know that the starters are only going to get so much action before the second string takes the field.
For the next few weeks, the Steelers will have 90 players on their summer roster, and Tomlin will need to get a very good look at many players who are on the fringe of making the team this year. The road to doing so starts in Tampa Bay tonight, and we will be on the lookout for standout performances in Week 1 of the preseason.
Ultimately, the end result of this game isn't going to matter much, but the Steelers need to come away healthy as player joust for positioning on the roster. We have gone this long without football, and we can't wait to see the Steelers take the field again -- even if it's just for preseason action. Here's everything you need to know about tonight's game.
Steelers vs Buccaneers Game Time:
The Steelers and Buccaneers will kick off their first game of the preseason against each other at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time tonight. The pregame will begin early. With an odd number of pre-season games this year, Pittsburgh will play two of three exhibition games on the road. They make up for this in the regular season with an additional home game this year.
Steelers vs Buccaneers Location:
The Pittsburgh Steelers game against the Buccaneers will be played on the road at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay. Last year during the regular season, Pittsburgh hosted the Bucs in a game where Kenny Pickett left the contest early and QB Mitch Trubisky was able to do enough to secure a 20-18 victory.
Steelers vs Buccaneers Streaming:
You can stream the Steelers vs Buccaneers game on several platforms including CBS, FOX, NBC, and NFL Network. We recommend using FuboTV. You can also watch the game with a subscription to NFL+ (blackout restrictions may apply).
Steelers vs Buccaneers Odds:
The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently 2.5-point road favorites over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Week 1 of the NFL preseason, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Pittsburgh has a spread of -110 and a moneyline of -142. The over/under point total for this game is currently set at 39.0.
Steelers vs Buccaneers: What to watch for
There are plenty of things to watch for in this preseason opener for the Steelers. For starters, fans will be very interested in finally watching this 2023 rookie class in action. Players like Broderick Jones, Joey Porter Jr., Keeanu Benton, Darnell Washington, and Nick Herbig could eventually be big contributors, so keep an eye on their performances tonight.
In addition to these players, we will have our eyes on positional battles at slot receiver, backup linebacker, and slot cornerback. There's still plenty to be figured out in terms of the pecking order prior to the start of the 2023 season, and this game will offer a much clearer picture of where all 90 players on Pittsburgh's roster currently stand.