Bucs vs. Falcons: Game Time, Preview, TV and Live Stream: Where to Watch and Listen
By Josh Hill
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4) vs. Atlanta Falcons (9-1)
The phrase winnable game creeps into my head before the Buccaneers secondary violently beats it out of there.
Atlanta hasn’t allowed a team to blow them out this year but they’ve also not blown anyone out themselves outside of Kansas City, San Diego and Philly. The Buccaneers have blown out both the Chiefs and Chargers and from the looks of it, the Eagles won’t be much of a problem when the Bucs get them on Andy Reid’s farewell tour.
But this is a Falcons team that is hungry for playoff dominance, it has a lot to prove and the Bucs could be on the very short end of an unforgiving stick this week. Matt Ryan showed he is vulnerable last week, but the Cardinals actually have some names in their secondary, the Buccaneers have nothing at all to show.
Josh Freeman and this offense are hotter than they’ve ever been, it’s too bad they have this massive tumor of a secondary killing them slowly. We’ve been waiting for a game — not pleasantly mind you– that this secondary will finally lose the team the game. That’s this week, as they stand no chance against this offense.
This isn’t a bad team in Tampa, it’s just a bad secondary. Bad even says it’s bad, things are gross in the secondary and although it will grown, it needs to burn first before it can rise.
Last year the Buccaneers allowed Julio Jones and Roddy White to go over 100 yards each and that was with Aqib Talib back there. Talib wasn’t much in Tampa but at least he was peace of mind, now the Bucs have E.J. Biggers to count on — can I get an amen?
This ride has to end eventually, and it’s going to take a violent turn this week. Sure this team is better than the one that beat the Falcons in Tampa last year, but for some reason the odds feel the same. Once Atlanta jumps out to a lead, the fans will cool, the angst will start again and the secondary will feel the ferocity of a very angry fan base.
Rightfully so too.
Location: Raymond James Stadium
Time: 1:00pmET/NoonCT
Nat’l TV: N/A
Bucs TV: BLACKED OUT
Away TV: FOX
Announcers: Thom Brennaman/Brian Billick
Live Stream: NFL Live Stream
Radio: WDAE 620AM (Tampa), 790AM (Atlanta)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 829 (Bucs Feed), Sirius 801 (Falcons Feed)
Weather: 70°F, Sunny
Line: Falcons -1.0
Last Week: Buccaneers beat Panthers 27-21, Falcons beat Cardinals 23-19
Last Meeting: January 1, 2012 — Buccaneers 24, Falcons 45
Series History (Since 2001): Series tied 10-10
Key Bucs Storyline: Will the Buccaneers secondary hold up against Matt Ryan’s high powered offense?
Opposing View: Can Atlanta start to correct their flaws on the way to their 10th win of the year?
Prediction: Bucs 24, Falcons 27