The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8 for a crucial NFC South matchup that could make or break the Bucs’ playoff hopes.
A win would put the Buccaneers within a half-game of first place with head-to-head tiebreakers over the Panthers and Falcons. But a loss would see Tampa Bay fall two games behind Atlanta and give the Falcons’ sole possession of first place in the division.
The season hasn’t even reached its halfway point, yet this matchup has all the makings of a playoff game, with massive implications for the NFC South race.
If the Buccaneers want to win their most important game of the year to date, they’ll need to play their best game of the season. Here are four bold predictions for Tampa Bay as they look to take down the Falcons.
4 bold predictions for Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons in Week 8
Bucky Irving runs wild for another 100-yard day
In the Buccaneers’ two wins so far this season, they rushed for over 240 yards in each contest, and Bucky Irving had 100-plus yards on the ground.
Establishing the run is Tampa Bay’s winning identity, and they’ll need to do it again on Sunday to beat the Falcons.
It’ll be a tall task, as Atlanta owns the NFL’s fourth-best rushing defense, allowing just 89 yards per game. But despite the challenge, I’m trusting the Buccaneers’ offensive line and tight ends to make a statement by dominating the battle in the trenches and clearing big holes for Irving and the running backs to gallop through all day long.
Buccaneers hold Bijan Robinson under 60 yards
In the last two weeks, Bijan Robinson has been held to his two lowest rushing totals of the season with 63 yards against the 49ers and 61 yards against the Bears.
San Francisco in particular shut him down, holding the NFL’s best running back to just 3.2 yards per carry.
Both of those teams bottled him up, and despite coming close, neither held him to under 60 rushing yards. Why is that benchmark noteworthy? Robinson was held under 60 yards just five times last season, and the Falcons went 1-4 in those games.
No team has held Robinson under 60 yards so far this season, but the Buccaneers and their elite run defense will make a statement by becoming the first team to do just that.
Buccaneers finally shut down Kyle Pitts
Kyle Pitts has been the Buccaneers’ kryptonite, especially when playing at Raymond James Stadium.
To make matters worse, he’s been on a hot streak for the Falcons this season, having at least five catches and a touchdown in three consecutive games.
Last season, he caught 11 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns at Ray Jay. In 2024, he caught 4 passes for 91 yards and two touchdowns.
The best games of his career have come in Tampa Bay, and this much-improved Bucs defense needs to prove they’ve truly evolved from past seasons. What better way to demonstrate that growth than to finally shut down a player that has had their number over the course of his career?
The Bucs will not only end Pitts’ streak of finding the end zone, but they’ll hold him under 40 receiving yards.
Buccaneers beat the Falcons 27-20
I rarely make a direct score prediction, but it’s the biggest game of the season so far, and I’ve got to live up to the occasion. I’m calling for the Buccaneers to take down the Falcons 27-20.
My bold predictions paint the picture of a strong day on the ground for the Bucs offensively, while they’re able to contain Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts on the other side of the ball.
The Falcons are second in the NFL with 31 points per game in games started by Michael Penix Jr. Holding this red-hot offense to only 20 points would be a massive statement for Todd Bowles’ defense, and it would prove their success to this point is no fluke. I believe this group has it in them to do just that.
Tampa Bay kicks off November with a huge divisional win to miraculously catapult themselves back into the NFC South race after a 1-5 start.
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