Buccaneers 2016 schedule released: Two prime time games

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have two prime time games in 2016: one on Monday Night Football on October 10th against the Carolina Panthers, and one a Thursday night game on November 3rd against the Atlanta Falcons. They'll open the season against the Atlanta Falcons on the road, while their home opener won't be until week three -- likely to give them a buffer in case the Raymond James Stadium renovations run a little late.

The Bucs have one of the hardest 2016 slates around, going by last year's win totals. Their opponents posted an overall .543 record in 2015, which ties the Bucs for the fifth-hardest schedule in the NFL. Only the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks (tied) have more difficult schedules -- and the Bucs are playing all of those teams this year.

The Bucs' Monday night game will be the first since 2013, when they beat the Miami Dolphins 22-19. Their Thursday night  game against the Falcons will be interesting, though: teams will be wearing so-called Color Rush uniforms for Thursday night games this year, which consist of largely mono-colored uniforms. Both the Falcons and Bucs have red as their main color, so that's promising to be one blood-colored night.

Here's the full schedule for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2016 NFL season.

Buccaneers 2016 regular season schedule

Week 1: Sunday, September 11, 1:00 p.m., at Atlanta Falcons (23-22)

Week 2: Sunday, September 18, 4:05 p.m., at Arizona Cardinals (9-9)

Week 3: Sunday, September 25, 4:05 p.m.,  vs. Los Angeles Rams (8-13)

Week 4: Sunday, October 2, 4:05 p.m., vs. Denver Broncos (2-6)

Week 5: Monday, October 10, 8:30 p.m. at Carolina Panthers (11-20)

Week 6: BYE

Week 7: Sunday, October 23, 4:05 p.m., at San Francisco 49ers (4-17)

Week 8: Sunday, October 30, 1:00 p.m., vs. Oakland Raiders (2-6)

Week 9: Thursday, November 3, 8:25 p.m., vs. Atlanta Falcons (23-22)

Week 10: Sunday, November 13, 1:00 p.m., vs. Chicago Bears (18-38)

Week 11: Sunday, November 20, 1:00 p.m., at Kansas City Chiefs (6-5)

Week 12: Sunday, November 27, 4:05 p.m., vs. Seattle Seahawks (4-8)

Week 13: Sunday, December 4, 4:25 p.m. , at San Diego Chargers (2-8)

Week 14: Sunday, December 11, 1:00 p.m., at New Orleans Saints (18-30)

Week 15: Sunday, December 18, 1:00 p.m., at Dallas Cowboys (4-11)

Week 16: Saturday, December 24, 1:00 p.m., vs. New Orleans Saints (18-30)

Week 17: Sunday, January 1, 1:00 p.m., vs. Carolina Panthers (11-20)

Buccaneers 2016 preseason schedule

Week one:  August 11-15 at the Philadelphia Eagles.

Week two: August 18-22 at the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Week three: Friday, August 26, 8:00 p.m. vs. the Cleveland Browns.

Week four: September 1-2, vs. Washington.