Tampa Bay built a big lead in its first NFC South game of the 2011 NFL season. And the Buccaneers needed all of it to hold on against the Falcons for a 16-13 win in Tampa Bay.
NFL Scores Week 3, Falcons Vs. Bucs: Tampa Bay Holds On, 16-13
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got their first win against the Falcons since 2008, and share first place in the NFC South.
The Bucs led 16-3 in the fourth quarter before Matt Ryan led the Falcons on two scoring drives to cut the advantage to 16-13. But Josh Freeman and LeGarrette Blount drove into Atlanta territory, setting up a fourth and one, and then Atlanta jumped offsides to give the Bucs a new set of downs and a chance to run the clock down to nothing.
Ryan threw for 330 yards in the loss, but threw an interception and lost two fumbles, while Falcons runners gained just 30 yards combined. Tampa Bay’s offense was less productive, but Freeman made up for two interceptions with a rushing touchdown, and Blount ran for 81 yards.
The win moves Tampa Bay to 2-1 on the season and drops the Falcons to 1-2, and it’s also the first Bucs win over the Falcons since 2008.
For more on the Buccaneers, head over to Bucs Nation. For more on the Falcons, check out Bleeding Green Nation. Follow the rest week one of the regular season at SB Nation NFL, and check out the rest of the Week 3 NFL scores.
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