The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a must-win game against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football.
Tampa Bay has lost four of its last five games, and the team is currently tied atop the NFC South with the Carolina Panthers. A loss to the Falcons would be devastating for the Buccaneers and give Carolina the inside track to the division title.
The Bucs defeated the Falcons 23-20 back in Week 1, but Atlanta gave Tampa Bay all it could handle in an absolute nail-biter. Thursday’s game will almost certainly be highly contested like the first meeting, and big performances from a few players would go a long way in helping the Bucs escape with a crucial victory.
3 bold predictions for Buccaneers vs. Falcons on Thursday Night Football
Baker Mayfield returns to MVP form against the Falcons
After beginning the season at an MVP-caliber level, Baker Mayfield has cooled off in recent weeks. There’s plenty of context behind the decline in performance, as injuries to both himself and his supporting cast have clearly played a role.
Mayfield had a strong performance against the Falcons back in Week 1, tossing three touchdown passes, including the game-winner, and adding 39 yards on the ground.
In their two matchups last season, Mayfield threw for a combined 510 yards and six touchdowns against the Falcons. He’s performed really well against Atlanta lately, and another strong showing on Thursday night could help him get back on track and, more importantly, lead the Bucs to a crucial win.
Mike Evans makes a big impact in his return from injury
Mike Evans is expected to return on Thursday night for the first time since he broke his collarbone in Week 7. The home crowd will be over the moon to have the face of the franchise back on the field — his first appearance at Raymond James Stadium since Week 3 — and he’ll give them something to cheer about.
The Falcons’ top cornerback, A.J. Terrell, is a good player, but he’s one Evans has consistently gotten the better of throughout their careers. Evans has a chance to rise to the occasion and make a triumphant return in a must-win game for a team that has severely missed his leadership.
Bucs' run defense has a much-needed bounce back game against Falcons' rushing attack
The Bucs’ run defense, which has typically been one of the league’s best under head coach Todd Bowles, had an uncharacteristically awful performance in last week’s loss to the Saints, surrendering 144 yards on the ground.
Through 13 games, it was only the fourth time all season Tampa Bay allowed an opponent to surpass 100 rushing yards. The Bucs are 1-3 in those games, and they’ll need to tighten up against a potent Falcons rushing attack led by Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, which averages 123 yards per game.
When the teams met in the season opener, Tampa Bay completely clamped down on Atlanta, holding the Falcons to just 69 yards on 28 attempts — an inefficient 2.5 yards per carry.
Robinson (2.0 yards per carry) and Allgeier (2.4) were each held to 24 yards in the first meeting, while quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (3.5) was actually Atlanta’s most efficient runner, going for 21 yards and a touchdown.
With Penix injured, Tampa Bay will face Kirk Cousins this time around, and he poses no threat as a runner. With top receiver Drake London also out due to injury, the Bucs will be able to stack the box and sell out to stop the run, betting that the 37-year-old Cousins won’t be able to beat them with his arm without his best weapon.