Atlanta Falcons vs. Buccaneers: Tale of the tape
The defenses
The Falcons come up against a good defense in this game, but while it’s one that ranks high in almost every category, the one it is dead last in is arguably the most important: Points allowed per game. Tampa Bay is allowing 29.8 points per game, tied with Chicago for most in the NFL.
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Despite that, the Buccaneers own the league’s No. 6 defense, which is No. 5 against the pass and No. 15 against the run. If you thought this would be an easy game for Atlanta to get its offense back on track, think again.
The Falcons struggled to move the ball in the air against a good defense last week, and they will be matched up with another talented one here. The key, as it has been the past two weeks, will be to run the football on a defense that has allowed 108.7 yards per game. That’s not a huge amount, but Devonta Freeman is in red hot form and capable of exploiting Tampa Bay’s defense.
The Buccaneers have twice as many sacks (16) as the Falcons (8) on the season, and rushing the passer will be crucial for Dan Quinn’s team up against a rookie quarterback. One of the biggest matchups will be between Tampa Bay’s No. 4 rushing offense and Atlanta’s No. 2 rushing defense. This one will be interesting to watch.
Next: NFL Power Rankings entering Week 8