The free fall for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has been shocking to witness this season. After starting the season 3-0, they’ve lost six of their last 10 games. As a result, they have the slimmest of margins over the Carolina Panthers, thanks to the second tiebreaker giving them the nod.
However, in a divisional matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, they could fall to their doom. Even with a team that has looked as dysfunctional as the Falcons, who are without their starting quarterback, the injury-ravaged Buccaneers will be hoping to have at least a puncher’s chance.
Here’s who is officially on the injury report and who will be starting for both teams in their Thursday Night Football clash.
Inactive List for Buccaneers and Falcons
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- QB Connor Bazelak
- LB SirVocea Dennis
- G Elijah Klein
- CB Benjamin Morrison
- TE Cade Otton
- DL Elijah Simmons
- S Tykee Smith
Atlanta Falcons
- WR Drake London
- WR Jamal Agnew
- ILB JD Bertrand
- OL Michael Jerrell
- WR Casey Washington
- WR Malik Heath
- DL Elijah Garcia
Starters for Buccaneers vs. Falcons
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Offense:
- QB Baker Mayfield
- RB Bucky Irving
- WR Mike Evans
- WR Emeka Egbuka
- WR Chris Godwin Jr.
- TE Payne Durham
- LT Tristan Wirfs
- LG Dan Feeney
- C Graham Barton
- RG Luke Haggard
- RT Luke Goedeke
Defense:
- RDE Elijah Roberts
- NT Vita Vea
- LDE Logan Hall
- ROLB Yaya Diaby
- RILB Deion Jones
- LILB Lavonte David
- LOLB Haason Reddick
- RCB Jamel Dean
- FS Antoine Winfield Jr.
- SS Kaevon Merriweather
- LCB Zyon McCollum
Special teams:
- PK Chase McLaughlin
- P, H Riley Dixon
- PR Kameron Johnson
- KR Sean Tucker
- LS Evan Deckers
Arguably, the worst loss of the season for Tampa Bay came in Week 14 when they lost to the now three-win New Orleans Saints. It marked their fourth loss in five games, as they remain in a tight battle with the Panthers for the pole spot in the NFC South.
With both games against Carolina still on the schedule, a victory over the Falcons will be critical for the Bucs to establish control of the division, particularly with regard to their divisional record.
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Atlanta Falcons
Offense:
- QB Kirk Cousins
- RB Bijan Robinson
- WR Jamal Agnew
- WR Darnell Mooney
- WR David Sills V
- TE Kyle Pitts Sr.
- LT Jake Matthews
- LG Matthew Bergeron
- C Ryan Neuzil
- RG Chris Lindstrom
- RT Elijah Wilkinson
Defense:
- RDE LaCale London
- LDE Ruke Orhorhoro
- NT David Onyemata
- LOLB Leonard Floyd
- RILB Divine Deablo
- LILB Kaden Eliss
- ROLB Jalon Walker
- RCB A.J. Terrell Jr.
- SS Jessie Bates III
- FS Xavier Watts
- LCB Mike Hughes
Special teams:
- PK Zane Gonzalez
- P, H Bradley Pinion
- PR, KR Jamal Agnew
- LS Liam McCullough
It seems impossible, but the Falcons are somehow still in the playoff picture in the NFC. That might be a testament to the state of their division, but the product on the field for Atlanta hasn’t been inspiring.
The drop-off from the offense, after they shifted back to Kirk Cousins following Michael Penix Jr.’s season-ending surgery, has been noticeable. However, the defense, which was a top-five unit in the league at one point, has fallen all the way to 15th on PFSN’s Defense Impact.
