TAMPA, Fla. — Despite losing 26-24 to the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans attending Saturday's preseason opener said they feel confident about the upcoming season.
"It's fun to be here," Warren Ellis said. "Football is king in Tampa Bay."
Fans said they're excited for a fresh start. Hopefully, one that will end with another Super Bowl victory after nearly missing the chance for a back-to-back championship.
"Oh, man. That was a tough game," Jake Boyle said. "I thought we had it in the bag."
Fans like Warren Ellis and his son came hours early to beat the traffic and experience the ambiance of a home game early on.
While Saturday night's loss isn't the real deal yet, some fans said they take each play seriously. The pain of last season still stings.
While Tom Brady did not play during the game, some fans said they still have high standards for the Bucs' performances.
"We have a good team. We have veterans on this team and we got one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game," Ellis said. "We got reasonable hope and here in Tampa Bay."
The Bucs will have two more preseason games in August before officially starting the season on Sept. 11 in Dallas.