Falcons @ Bucs

[Vin+ 3,121]

TIME: 04:15 P.M. EST

VENUE: Raymond James Stadium

 

 

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris believes his squad may be battling the Atlanta Falcons for NFC South supremacy for years to come.

 

There's one thing the Bucs must do first in order to call it a rivalry - beat the Falcons.

 

With both teams coming off come-from-behind victories, Atlanta seeks its fifth straight win over Tampa Bay on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

 

Morris, in his third year as coach, has yet to beat Atlanta, losing four games by an average of 5.8 points.

 

"Can't call it a rivalry yet. We haven't won any of them," Morris said.

 

Tampa Bay (1-1) finished 10-6 last season, out of a playoff spot and three games behind NFC-best Atlanta. Morris believes his team is on the cusp of challenging for the division title, though, especially given last week's gutty 24-20 victory in Minnesota.

 

Josh Freeman threw for 243 yards and led two fourth-quarter touchdown drives to help overcome a 17-0 halftime deficit. Running back LeGarrette Blount scored his second touchdown of the game with 31 seconds remaining.

 

"This team, I told you, they're just young and hungry," Morris said.

 

Morris, though, is concerned about being outgained 284-62 through the first 30 minutes of the game, calling it "the worst half of football since I've been head coach." Tampa Bay bounced back to outscore the Vikings 24-3 in the second half - a performance Freeman said is exactly what the Bucs needed.

 

"It really reminds me of how we were playing late last season," Freeman said of the 2010 team which finished by winning three of its last four. "Getting LeGarrette Blount going, getting our playmakers going. Just an all-around good effort from everyone."

 

However, Blount did not practice Wednesday, nor did Morris divulge the injury other than to say he's "hopeful" Blount will be ready to go by Sunday.

 

His potential absence may put more pressure on Freeman, who has struggled against the Falcons.

 

Freeman has completed only 54.2 percent of his passes and compiled a 74.0 rating while throwing six touchdowns and five interceptions in four losses versus Atlanta.

 

His counterpart, though, has been even worse against Tampa Bay.

 

Though Matt Ryan is 5-1 versus the Bucs, he's thrown eight interceptions to five touchdowns for a passer rating of 65.9 - his worst against any team. Still, Freeman believes the two will be facing each other in divisional battles as they continue to improve.

 

"That's what I foresee. He's a good quarterback and has a unique style," Freeman said. "You almost don't like the fact that you're going to have to be playing him for a long time."

 

If Ryan performs as he did last week, Freeman may be right.

 

Ryan threw a career-high four TDs in leading the Falcons (1-1) to 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter of a 35-31 victory over Philadelphia.

 

"I think anytime you get the first win of the year, it feels really good," said Ryan, whose team lost 30-12 in Chicago in Week 1. "But we've got a long way to go. One of the things I say every week is that you can't get too high and you can't get too low. We've got a good Tampa Bay team that we're going to be going against down there. ... We need to move on."

 

Atlanta also must provide better protection for Ryan, who has been sacked nine times through the first two games and was limited in practice Wednesday due to a knee injury.

 

"You're still a little sore, but I'll be good to go and ready to roll on Sunday," he said.

 

The Falcons allowed only 23 sacks all of last season, which was second-best in the NFL.

 

"We have got to protect the quarterback," coach Mike Smith said. "We've got to make sure schematically that we put our guys in the best situations and we've got to win our one-on-one matchups. We've played two very good defensive fronts in the first two games and we have not fared the way that we wanted to in the sacks given up."

 

Ryan could get some help Sunday, as veteran center Todd McClure hopes to play after he returned to the practice field Wednesday for the first time since undergoing minor knee surgery late in the preseason.

 

"It was great to have Todd back," Smith said. "Obviously we missed his leadership out there the first two games."

 

Tampa Bay hasn't sacked Ryan in the last two meetings, and he threw the game-winning touchdown pass with less than five minutes remaining to give the Falcons a 28-24 victory in the most recent matchup Dec. 5.

 

Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Big game here and it should be a very good one, but unfortunately, I think the Falcons take it.

Edited September 24, 2011 by GoodellFTL

[KiLaSix9+ 398]

Expecting and hoping its a close, tough match up.

[RazorStar 4,025]

I think the Falcons will do it, if they start stronger than the Bucs (and they will), then they can just create a large enough gap to close the game out by the second quarter. The bucs will make the score look close though.

[Vin+ 3,121]

Bucs declared LB Quincy Black, WR Sammie Stroughter, RB Allen Bradford, S Larry Asante, CB Anthony Gaitor, OT Derek Hardman, OT James Lee inactive for Week 3 against the Falcons.

 

Dakota Watson is expected to replace Black on the strong side. Rookie Mason Foster will play all three downs while wearing the helmet transmitter this week.

 

 

 

Falcons C Todd McClure (knee) is active for the first time this season.

 

The Falcons have had problems pass protecting through two weeks. Perhaps McClure's return will help with adjustments at the line of scrimmage.

 

Inactive for the Falcons: DT Jonathan Babineaux, CB Kelvin Hayden, LB Stephen Nicholas, OG Mike Johnson, CB Darrin Walls, C Brett Romberg, DE Cliff Matthews.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Interested to see how Dekota Watson will do in replacement of Black. I've liked what I've seen from him so far this year.

 

Wonder why Stroughter is inactive?

[SportsMistress 2]

I want the Falcons to win this one...

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

TD Graham! We actually have the lead in the 1st half for once.

[Shotgun 442]

I'm not going to be negative. I'm just going to say I'm starting to think Mason Foster is the steal of the draft. Easily the best rookie defensive player so far. He won't be winning ROTY honors at the MLB position most likely, but he looked amazing yet again. He really stepped up to the challenge of play-calling and being in on more downs.

[themush 13]

Fuck yeah!!!!!!!!!!!

 

that is all.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Defense stepped up big time today. Was very happy with the d-line and all the pressure they got.

 

Wasn't too impressed with the offense. Especially Freeman and Olson (what else is new?)