The Atlanta Falcons have a tough divisional matchup ahead of them in Week 8 as they're going to hit the road and face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are a whole lot better than their 2-5 record may show…
Tampa Bay is coming off a dominant 43-13 win over the Carolina Panthers, a game in which the Buccaneers rushed for 258 yards and ran wild against one of the NFL's worst run defenses. And their run game will continue to be the identity from which they want to win games.
Bucs starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, who recently returned from a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand, attempted just 11 passes against Carolina as Tampa Bay's rushing attack did most of the damage, including a 124-yard, two-touchdown performance from star RB Bucky Irving.
The Falcons need to make Baker Mayfield, not the Bucs' run game beat them in Week 8
Atlanta can't afford to let that happen… The good news is that Atlanta has already shown it can hold up against opposing rushing attacks as they have allowed just 88.9 rushing yards per game this season--which is the fourth-best in the NFL.
The concern is that Tampa Bay, who's offense is helmed by former Falcons OC Zac Robinson, appears more than willing to keep running the football until somebody proves they can stop it, which is something Jeff Ulbrich should be familiar with from their season coaching together in 2025.
Only the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills have averaged more rushing yards on a weekly basis than the Buccaneers in 2026, as only Chicago has more yards through seven weeks and they're averaging almost five yards a pop on the ground. That will not be easy for Atlanta to stop.
So if the Falcons start giving up consistent gains on early downs, Mayfield could find himself in another comfortable situation where he doesn't have to do much through the air.
Baker Mayfield's return gives Tampa Bay another reason to feel optimistic, although it's still unclear how much the thumb injury might affect him moving forward. It's almost certain he isn't playing at 100%, which means they'll have to lean on the ground game.
If the Falcons can limit Irving and force Tampa Bay into more second and long and third and long situations, Mayfield will have to take on a much larger role in just his second game back from injury.
Successfully stopping the run does not guarantee the Falcons a Week 8 victory
Of course, that doesn't guarantee success. Mayfield has proven he can win games with his arm, and Atlanta would be foolish to underestimate him simply because he's coming off an injury. Kevin Stefanski should understand that better than anyone.
But the Falcons should at least make him prove he's ready to handle a heavier workload rather than allowing Tampa Bay to dictate the game on the ground.
Meanwhile, the Falcons have some momentum of their own after handing the 49ers their first loss, but Sunday's matchup at Raymond James Stadium could be a much tougher test than Tampa Bay's record suggests.
Sure, the Buccaneers are still 2-5 for a reason. They've had their own struggles this season, and one dominant performance against a turnover-prone Carolina team doesn't suddenly erase those problems.
But Atlanta would be making a mistake if it expected to face the same Tampa Bay team that struggled through the first six weeks. The Buccaneers are getting healthier, their running backs are coming off a massive performance, and their defense just put together arguably its best showing of the season.
This defense has players like LaCale London and Kendal Daniels who are elite against the run, Falcons have the personnel to slow down this dangerous rushing attack. Now it needs to prove it can do so against an NFC South rival that suddenly looks dangerous again.
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