BLUE 1,026 Posted September 17, 2014 (AP) -- The Atlanta Falcons have allowed more yards than any team in the league and are the only one yet to register a sack. Josh McCown and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, though, could be hard-pressed to take advantage as the second-worst passing team in the NFL. The Falcons are hoping a return home will help Matt Ryan bounce back from a rough performance when they take on the injury-plagued Buccaneers on Thursday night. Atlanta (1-1) allowed 472 yards for the second straight game in Sunday's 24-10 loss at Cincinnati. The 635 passing yards the Falcons have given up represents the second-highest total in the league. Along with no sacks, Atlanta has been credited with one hit on the quarterback - and that came as it surrendered a 76-yard touchdown pass to the Bengals. "We've got to put more pressure on the quarterback," coach Mike Smith said. "It's not where we want to be at after the first two games. I think that's translated into us not playing the type of defense that we want." Tampa Bay (0-2) is off to another winless start after dropping its first eight games a season ago. McCown, in his first year with the club, is guiding a unit that's averaging 168.5 passing yards. He's thrown three interceptions. "At the end of the day, you hear about quarterbacks being measured by wins and we're 0-2 so for me that's how I evaluate it," McCown said. "I look at what could I have done better to help us win the ballgame. I look at it for both games, I really felt like I did a lot of good things except for three turnovers in those games and those have been critical." Running back Doug Martin was inactive in Sunday's 19-17 home loss to St. Louis with a knee injury, but Bobby Rainey was outstanding in filling in with 144 yards on 22 carries. The offensive woes aren't the biggest concern for defensive-minded first-year coach Lovie Smith, who is more worried that his team has forced one turnover. "A lot is being said about the offense, and what we're doing in certain situations, but where we're really not performing well enough right now is on the defensive side," he said. "From long drives to taking the ball away. Our first goal on the defensive side is to score. We haven't come close to doing any of those things at this stage. ... But we will." The Buccaneers have major injury problems, with two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and middle linebacker Mason Foster unlikely to play this week. McCoy has a broken left hand and Foster left Sunday's game with a shoulder injury. Tampa Bay's defense figures to be tested by an Atlanta offense that's averaging 438.5 yards for the league's second-best mark. That number, however, is due largely to a 568-yard performance in a 37-34 win over New Orleans on Sept. 7. Ryan threw for a career-best 448 yards with three touchdowns in that contest. It was a far different story against the Bengals, as he went 24 of 44 for 231 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. The absence of Jake Matthews proved to be an issue, as the left tackle was out with a left ankle injury. He could return Thursday. Ryan is 5-1 as a starter against Tampa Bay at home with seven touchdowns, no interceptions and two sacks in the last four such meetings. The teams split two matchups last year, with an injured Julio Jones missing both for Atlanta. Jones, fourth in the NFL with 204 receiving yards, has totaled 394 yards receiving with three touchdowns in four career games against Tampa Bay. Both teams are wary of the short turnaround preceding this contest. "Normally when you're playing a division opponent, and as you know most of the Thursday night games are division opponents, we have some familiarity with them," Mike Smith said. "This is a new (Bucs) coaching staff, so I think we're at a little bit of a disadvantage compared to other years." Lovie Smith mentioned his familiarity with Atlanta players who played for him in Chicago in lineman Gabe Carimi and wide receiver Devin Hester, and also said that he watched the HBO program 'Hard Knocks' to learn about the Falcons. "Of course Hard Knocks is a great show when someone else is doing it of course," Lovie Smith said. "We got a chance to know the Atlanta Falcons fairly well from watching the show. A lot of their personalities really did come out, coaches and players, I might add." Source: Hosted.Stats.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cherry 1,302 Posted September 17, 2014 Josh McCown is going to have an insanely weak performance, and the Bucs are going to get slaughtered by the Falcons, going by the expectations. However, it is a Thursday night... So... 23 21 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shotgun 442 Posted September 18, 2014 (edited) The Bucs over the last several seasons seem to play better away than at home, especially against division rivals, so I can see them making some good drives. However, with the poor play of the O-line and our "Bend but also break" defense, this could potentially be a slaughter at the Falcons home. Thankfully Atlanta's defense seems around as bad as ours, so I'll stay conservative. 27 20 Edited September 18, 2014 by Shotgun Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC 331 Posted September 18, 2014 (edited) Pullin for Bobby Rainey. I think the Falcons will take a few trips to the endzone off Bucs turnovers and win. Edited September 18, 2014 by BC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CampinWithaMissingPerson 2,025 Posted September 18, 2014 Gonna be a closer game than people expect. 23 27 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BucD+ 648 Posted September 18, 2014 I think there are more people that think it will be close, actually. I think it'll be a blow out by the Falcons. Here's how I see it playing out... Our offense will look pathetic as ever after looking really good on their first offensive series where they drive down and score a TD. McClown will throw at least one dumbshit INT in the middle/end of a really well put together drive (like last week) and it will proceed to kill all momentum/rhythm that they built up before the INT. They will also call more idiotic run plays on 3rd and 7. The defense will actually come out and do really well against the Falcons offense. They will get tons of pressure on Matt Ryan etc etc. Matt Ryan will then hit his hand on a helmet while throwing a pass and go out of the game (only because the Falcons will be confident in their backup QBs against our defense). TJ Yates will comes in and Yates will sprain his ankle running out in relief of Matt Ryan because...I don't know...he's clumsy? So THEN Sean Renfree has to come in and he will proceed to carve up the Bucs defense and throw for 300+ yards and 3+ TDs. Our defense never gets any more pressure with Renfree under center and we lose 31-10. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KempBolt 498 Posted September 18, 2014 (edited) I'm picking the Falcons because they're at home on a Thursday night. If this game was in Tampa, I'd be really tempted to pick the Bucs. From afar, it would seem that the major problems for TB have been an overcommitment to the running game and an inability to protect McCown. But sticking to the run could be a great game plan against the Falcons-- they can be run on, and you end up sustaining long drives and keeping the ball away from their offense. And when you have to throw, they don't have the horses up front on defense to cause you problems. And while the Bucs are struggling to find a pass rush up front, they might be helped out by the offensive line that Atlanta is forced to field. All that said, its TNF and Atlanta is at home so I'm rolling with the Falcs. 24 20 Edited September 18, 2014 by KempBolt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theMileHighGuy 656 Posted September 18, 2014 (edited) If this season has proven anything so far, it's that these games are really hard to pick - more importantly that anyone can beat anyone on any given Sund.. I mean Thursday. I'm not ready to forget after just two games that the Falcons and the Bucs finished with the same record last year. They beat the Saints in a shootout, but then again so did the Browns. Close game. 23 21 Edited September 18, 2014 by theMileHighGuy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bucman 891 Posted September 18, 2014 38-21 Falcons. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BLUE 1,026 Posted September 18, 2014 (edited) Per Rotoworld.com: Roddy White (hamstring) is inactive for Week 3 against the Bucs. The Falcons had intimated all week that White would suit up, but that changed on Thursday afternoon. White should return for Week 4, but the former iron man has now missed four of the Falcons' past 19 games, and played at less than 100 percent in many more. His absence leaves Julio Jones as a target monster, and Harry Douglas as a legitimate WR3. Devin Hester will run deep routes as the Falcons' No. 3 receiver. Also inactive for the Falcons are QB Sean Renfree, CB Javier Arenas, LB Tyler Starr, C James Stone, OT Ryan Schraeder and DT Cliff Matthews. Sep 18 - 6:57 PM _______________ Per Rotoworld.com: Doug Martin (knee) is inactive for Week 3 against the Falcons. The Bucs had been hinting all week that Martin would suit up, but that changed Thursday afternoon. His absence leaves Bobby Rainey as a high-upside RB2 against a Falcons run defense that's gotten smoked by the run the past two weeks. Rainey will be spelled by Mike James. Martin is week to week, with a strong chance at returning in Week 4. It could be as a backup if Rainey has another big game, however. Also inactive for the Bucs are DT Gerald McCoy, TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, LB Mason Foster, OT Kevin Pamphile, OG Kadeem Edwards and OG Rishaw Johnson. Sep 18 - 6:58 PM Edited September 18, 2014 by BLUE Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theMileHighGuy 656 Posted September 19, 2014 If this season has proven anything so far, it's that these games are really hard to pick - more importantly that anyone can beat anyone on any given Sund.. I mean Thursday. I'm not ready to forget after just two games that the Falcons and the Bucs finished with the same record last year. They beat the Saints in a shootout, but then again so did the Browns. Close game. 23 21 ... clearly. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CampinWithaMissingPerson 2,025 Posted September 19, 2014 Gonna be a closer game than people expect. 23 27 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glanvilles Grits 142 Posted September 19, 2014 (edited) This game is getting ugly. The Coaching staff laid into the team real hard during the short week, they practiced until damn near 830p Monday night. They clearly were pissed off at their performance week 2. The Bucs are pretty bad this year, but it's not so much that the Falcons are winning, it's the physicality their using to do it. Our defense looks like they WANT it. Past weeks they've just been letting people do as they wish and hoping for field goals. I mean, everytime Worrilow has made a tackle he has been trying to rip the ball out of the carriers hands. That's insane. Regardless of how bad our defense actually is against better teams, if they played with that kind of mentality every week, no doubt they'd be better off. Much more so, The Bengals are a great football team. I don't believe the Falcons are bad, I think they've got fixable issues that are works in progress. Edited September 19, 2014 by Rain Man Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KempBolt 498 Posted September 19, 2014 If this season has proven anything so far, it's that these games are really hard to pick - more importantly that anyone can beat anyone on any given Sund.. I mean Thursday. I'm not ready to forget after just two games that the Falcons and the Bucs finished with the same record last year. They beat the Saints in a shootout, but then again so did the Browns. Close game. 23 21 Just when you think the unpredictability of the NFL has become predictably unpredictable, it zags with some unpredictable predictability. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted September 19, 2014 So what you're saying is "If it looks like a bitch, it plays like a bitch." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
