Atlanta snapped a two-game slide in Week 8 by coming from behind to topple the Packers. The Falcons can embark on another winning streak when they take on division rival Tampa Bay in a Thursday Night Football showdown.
Falcons vs. Buccaneers 2016: Start time, live stream, TV schedule, and 3 things to know
Atlanta can seal its place atop the NFC South with a win over its rival on Thursday night.
Atlanta holds a 1.5-game lead over the NFC South, but a recently resurgent Buccaneers team remains within striking distance of the division’s crown. The Tampa Bay defense came up big in victories over Carolina and San Francisco before falling just short in an overtime loss to Oakland last week. On Thursday, they’ll be put to the test by the league’s most efficient passing offense.
Matt Ryan has thrown for a sterling 9.4 yards per pass attempt this fall to push Dan Quinn’s team into the thick of the NFC playoff picture. Thursday’s trip to Florida will give the veteran quarterback a chance for revenge. Tampa Bay upset Atlanta on the road to kick off the 2016 season. Another win for Jameis Winston and his Bucs would not only pull them within half a game of the South’s top spot, but also give them the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Falcons.
How to watch Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Time: 8:25 p.m. ET
Place: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
TV: NFL Network
Announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Heather Cox
Online: Sunday Ticket
The More You Know: Check out The Falcoholic for all the best Falcons info. Buccaneers fans, Bucs Nation has you covered.
Three big things to know:
1. Jameis Winston is having a sophomore season to forget. The former Heisman Trophy winner has been much less efficient in 2016 than he had been as a rookie. Winston has turned the ball over more often and completed fewer passes downfield for a Buccaneers team relying on him to take a major step forward this fall. He’s on pace to set a career high in turnovers (25) while throwing for nearly a full yard less per pass attempt (7.56 to 6.6). He’s also been less effective as a runner — after rushing for nearly 4 yards per carry and creating 18 first downs last season, he’s only gained 2.7 yards per attempt this fall.
2. You can’t keep Julio Jones down for long. Three teams have shut down Atlanta’s biggest offensive weapon in 2016: New Orleans, Denver, and Green Bay all limited him to 29 receiving yards or fewer. In the games that immediately followed those first two lackluster performances, Jones sprang for 300 yards (against Carolina) and 139 yards (against Seattle). The letdown against the Packers happened last week, so let’s see what Jones and Ryan have in store for the Buccaneers in Week 9.
3. You can probably keep Roberto Aguayo down for long. Tampa Bay’s rookie kicker came into the league with high expectations after the Bucs selected him in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. The Florida State product was a pillar of excellence in college after drilling 69 of his 78 field goal attempts with the Seminoles. Unfortunately for him, the adjustment to the pro game has been rough. Aguayo has missed five field goals and a pair of extra points this fall — including a point after that nearly cost his team a chance to tie last week’s game against the Raiders in regulation.
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