The Atlanta Falcons will face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their NFC South showdown on Thursday, as the Buccaneers continue their playoff push. At the same time, the Falcons have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Atlanta is currently 4-9 after a recent 37-9 loss against the Seattle Seahawks last week, while Tampa Bay is 7-6, following a 24-20 loss against its division rival, the New Orleans Saints. Here are the key strategies for Atlanta to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Stop the Bucs’ Rushing Attack and Mike Evans
The Buccaneers’ run game has performed well this season, with their three-player backfield being a key piece in their offense, featuring players like Rachaad White, Bucky Irving, and Sean Tucker. Tucker has been the focal point over the last few weeks as Irving has dealt with an injury. Tucker 72 carries for 306 yards and five touchdowns.
The run game allows quarterback Baker Mayfield to have a more balanced offense to work with. And with wide receiver Mike Evans returning from injury, Atlanta will have their work cut out for it as Tampa Bay got its star offensive weapon back.
The Falcons’ front seven has done well for them this season, with standout edge rusher James Pearce Jr. having six sacks, while Jalon Walker has five sacks. But Walker has been listed as questionable for the game with a quad injury and has been a limited participant in practice this week. Atlanta will need to stop the run and get to the quarterback, but that will be difficult if the defense is down a few players, potentially.
Unleash Bijan Robinson
Offensively, Atlanta will need to unleash running back Bijan Robinson and ensure he receives enough carries while utilizing him in the passing game. Robinson is versatile and can be a matchup issue for the Bucs. In their first meeting in Week 1, Robinson only had 12 carries for 24 yards on the ground. Still, he did excel in the pass game, catching six passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. Robinson needs the ball a substantial amount to get going, and they’ll need to rely on him to score points early.
Can The Falcons Halt The Bucs’ Playoff Chances?
Tampa Bay is currently the NFC South front-runner in first place, although they did lose to the Saints last week. And with this division game against Atlanta, they can secure yet another division crown with a victory. Tampa Bay is facing a division opponent three times in four weeks: the Falcons this week, the Panthers in Week 16, the Dolphins in Week 17, and the Panthers again in the last game of the season.
If Tampa Bay wins out, the Buccaneers can officially secure a playoff berth. According to PFSN’s Playoff Predictor, they still hold a 52.2% chance to take the NFC South despite last week’s loss, though another setback would sharply reduce those odds. Prediction: Buccaneers 27, Falcons 20.
