The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play their most important game of the season in Week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons.
With a win, the Buccaneers can put themselves right back in the NFC South race, but with a loss, Tampa Bay's playoff hopes will be on life support.
To ensure I'm not just previewing this game through Bucs-colored glasses, I went behind enemy lines and spoke to Jason Kandel, site expert at Blogging Dirty, FanSided's dedicated Falcons blog. Our conversation offered a valuable perspective on the Bucs' upcoming matchup from the opponent's point of view.
Atlanta Falcons expert previews Tampa Bay Buccaneers matchup: Bijan Robinson, Baker Mayfield and more
Q: This game is shaping up to feature an unstoppable force vs. immovable object on both sides of the ball. The Buccaneers rank No. 3 in rushing offense and No. 2 rushing defense. The Falcons rank No. 6 in rushing offense and No. 4 rushing defense. Both teams can run the ball and stop the run at an elite level. This game is going to come down to the battle in the trenches. Who do you think will come out on top in that battle in the run game?
A: This might be controversial, but I actually believe the Bucs win this matchup on both sides of the trenches. Bijan Robinson has been uncharacteristically quiet (3.1 YPC in Week 7) these last couple of weeks, as he hasn't found the end zone since Week 4, and Brian Robinson Jr. is inactive again.
And a matchup with this Tampa Bay DL won’t make things any easier. You guys haven't allowed a 60-yard rusher all season.
As a Falcons expert, I’m pretty well-versed in Zac Robinson’s offense, and I know he’s ready to pound the rock, especially without Emeka Egbuka. So while Atlanta has the better back, Tampa could have the better run game.
Q: Zac Robinson spent the last few seasons calling plays for the Falcons, and some of the same passing-game struggles are now following him to Tampa Bay. Michael Penix Jr. has taken a clear step forward under a new offensive system, while the Buccaneers’ passing offense ranks dead-last in the NFL.
If Atlanta can bottle up Tampa Bay’s top-three rushing attack, are the Buccaneers in trouble having to rely on Robinson’s struggling passing scheme to generate offense?
A: Honestly, yes. The Falcons have surprisingly been one of the better run defenses in the NFL this year (fourth in rushing yards per game allowed), and with Baker Mayfield at less than 100%, the gameplan for Jeff Ulbrich is almost certainly going to be to force Tampa Bay to third and medium and third and long and turn to the passing attack. And without Emeka Egbuka, this secondary being at full strength again will make all the difference.
Q: This matchup has all the makings of a playoff game, and the stakes are certainly there. With a win, the Buccaneers would move within a half-game of first place, holding head-to-head victories over both Atlanta and Carolina. If the Falcons win, however, they’d take a two-game lead over Tampa Bay, move into sole possession of first place, and put themselves in the driver’s seat for the NFC South title.
Just how important is this matchup in the eyes of Falcons fans, and do you expect Atlanta to seize the opportunity and take control of the division?
A: This matchup is incredibly important. The Falcons have been pretty feast or famine this season, and it's been really hard to get a grasp on how legit this team is, even after beating the 49ers last week
In Year 1 with this new regime, Atlanta has had some moments where they look like real contenders and others where they look lifeless, but getting to 4-4 before the Madrid game and James Pearce Jr. comes back next week would be huge.
Plus, this is the Kevin Stefanski-Baker Mayfield revenge game, and no Falcons fan wants to see him pick up even more ammunition against his old coach.
Q: Do the Falcons have a clear personnel weakness or a specific matchup that the Buccaneers can exploit on Sunday?
A: I wouldn't say the Falcons have any glaring weaknesses because like I said there hasn't been a ton of consistency, but the offensive line play has been an issue so Todd Bowles generating consistent pressure on Michael Penix Jr., who is one of the NFL’s worst QBs against when pressured, would be an issue.
Especially if the run game is unproductive like we expect, throwing Penix off rhythm and not allowing him to attack the secondary downfield is how the Bucs win this game
Q: Vice versa, is there a weakness the Buccaneers have that you expect the Panthers to take advantage of?
A: I think you know what I’m going to say. The Bucs cannot defend the middle of the field to save their life, and we all know they've had their issues with Kyle Pitts in the past, and I would expect that to continue on Sunday.
He's gotten progressively more involved these last couple of weeks, and I think his touchdown streak extends to four games this week.
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