Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Final Thoughts

The Atlanta Falcons take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a must-win game. Here’s some final thoughts.

December football has arrived, and it’s time to win. Forget what happened the first three months; the Atlanta Falcons are a 6-5 football team with a chance of making the playoffs. But now is the time to right the ship and get back on track.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers began the Falcons’ current four-game losing run when they won inside the Georgia Dome in Week 8. This would be the perfect game to end the slump and pick up the Falcons’ first win since Week 7.

Stop Doug Martin

Martin is the biggest threat on offense for the Buccaneers, and the Falcons need to find a way of slowing him down. He can control the tempo of the game if he gets going, and his ability to break out for big chunks of yardage and touchdowns is the biggest threat.

If the Falcons can slow him down and don’t allow the big play, they can make the Bucs offense one-dimensional and easier to defend. Atlanta defended Martin well in Week 8, but the sputtering offense allowed Tampa Bay to stick with the ground game.

Time for Devin Hester

Leonard Hankerson has been placed on injured reserve, but the good news is Devin Hester has been activated from short-term injured reserve. Expectations need to be held in check for what Hester will do on offense, although he will contribute.

Hester’s biggest weapon is of course in the return game. Eric Weems did a nice job, but Hester’s presence on the field gives special teams coordinators a lot to consider, and they will likely try and avoid him.

Could Hester take one to the house on his return?

The mistakes must stop

In the last meeting between these two, the Falcons turned it over four times and didn’t take it away once. The Buccaneers scored after all four turnovers, and the Falcons fell way behind in the game. These mistakes have been problematic ever since; Atlanta has only gone turnover-less in one game in its past four.

If the Falcons can limit the mistakes and win the turnover battle, they win.