NFL Update: Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Preview)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a reasonably good season. They have a record of 7-4 but are still in third place in the NFC South. That is because the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons are dominating the division. This Sunday the Atlanta Falcons are
going on the road to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If the Bucs want to stay in the race for the NFC South title, they absolutely have to win this game.
The Falcons are past the point where they would try to make the play offs. Their 9-2 win-loss tally puts them on top of the league. What they want now is to be the best franchise in the NFC and secure the home field advantage in the playoffs. The Falcons
have been brilliant in this season and are on a 5 game winning streak. Their latest victory over the Green Bay Packers came off a field goal in the final seconds of the game.
In the Raymond James Stadium, the Falcons would try to win their 6th straight game. This is the longest winning streak for the Falcons since 1998. Coach Mike Smith said that it was great to have a winning season but the Falcons have greater goals
and expectations. At home, quarterback Matt Ryan has an outstanding 19-1 record. This season they are 6-0 at home. If they are able to retain their top NFC spot, it could become the advantage they need to make it through the playoffs.
It won’t be easy though. Divisional rivals the New Orleans Saints are just one game behind the Falcons. The Chicago Bears too are eying the NFC title with their 8-3 record. If the Falcons don’t stay on top of their games, either team could snatch their place
in the NFC Standings.
Earlier in this season, Tampa Bay played Atlanta but lost that game 27-21. The game could have gone either way and it would be close again on this Sunday.
“We're still very much in the hunt,” Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris said.
“We've got a very meaningful game against Atlanta.” Buccaneers successes have been mostly against the weaker teams this season with win percentages of less the .5. They have lost every single game they have played against stronger teams.
Tampa Bay defeated Cleveland and Carolina, but were crushed by Pittsburgh. They defeated Cincinnati and Seattle but were dominated by New Orleans. They won against San Francisco and Arizona but looked hopeless against Baltimore. “That doesn't factor
into anything. We're a team with a winning record,” insisted Cornerback Ronde Barber.
Atlanta has a record of 3-3 on the road and they are going to be on the road for the next three weeks consecutively. Coach Mike Smith said that they were already making adjustments to their schedules and trying to decrease the workload, both on and off field.
Smith is trying to make sure that his players can be as fresh as possible in their next three games even with the burden of travelling.
Atlanta’s offense has been exceptionally good this season. Quarterback Matt Ryan has a passer rating of 94.4 this season. Since week 7, when Atlanta’s current winning streak began, Ryan has thrown 10 touchdown passes for just one interception. He hasn’t
fumbled the ball since Atlanta faced Cincinnati. Ryan’s passer rating in four of those 5 games was over 100. Atlanta’s offense had always been good but lately it has been unbelievable.
Tampa Bay on the other hand is on a two game losing streak. Quarterback Josh Freeman has an overall passer rating of 89.3. He has thrown 15 touchdown passes and 5 interceptions but things have been looking up for him. In the past 6 games, he has been intercepted
just two times in one game and has thrown 10 touchdown passes. Unfortunately, for Freeman, those two interceptions were against the Atlanta Falcons. If Freeman can hold his own then Tampa Bay has a real chance of winning. In the past four games, his passer
ratings were well over a hundred in two games and the Buccaneers won them both. His Passer ratings were below 80, below 70 in two, in all games the Buccaneers lost.
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