Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images
The reigning Super Bowl champions earned their second straight win to open 2021 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Atlanta Falcons 48-25 at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.
Dating back to last year, Tampa Bay extended its winning streak to 10 games. The Bucs don’t appear to be experiencing any championship hangover.
Atlanta jumped out to a 21-7 lead in the third quarter thanks to three touchdown passes from Tom Brady. A 36-yard field goal from Younghoe Koo as the first half ended helped the Falcons chip away at the deficit.
Their first drive of the third quarter ended in an interception by Shaquil Barrett, though, and the Buccaneers capitalized as Brady hit Mike Evans for their second scoring connection.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @Buccaneers
Make that 2️⃣ for <a href=”https://twitter.com/MikeEvans13_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@MikeEvans13_</a> ‼️<br><br>????: <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ATLvsTB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ATLvsTB</a> on FOX <a href=”https://t.co/qWcfHFqpel”>pic.twitter.com/qWcfHFqpel</a>
A pair of touchdown passes by Matt Ryan in the third quarter had some Falcons fans thinking a comeback was in store. But Brady found Chris Godwin for a one-yard touchdown pass before Mike Edwards’ pick-six served as a knockout blow for the Falcons.
NFL @NFL
.<a href=”https://twitter.com/M__Edwards7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@M__Edwards7</a> takes it the other way! <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoBucs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#GoBucs</a> <br><br>????: <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ATLvsTB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ATLvsTB</a> on FOX<br>????: NFL app <a href=”https://t.co/uI64zFGGpJ”>pic.twitter.com/uI64zFGGpJ</a>
Edwards got a second pick-six for good measure later in the fourth quarter.
Notable Performers
Tom Brady, QB, Buccaneers: 24-of-36, 276 yards, five touchdowns
Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers: five receptions, 75 yards, two touchdowns
Rob Gronkowski, TE, Buccaneers: four receptions, 39 yards, two touchdowns
Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons: 35-of-46, 300 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions
Cordarrelle Patterson, RB, Falcons: seven carries, 11 yards, one touchdown; five receptions, 58 yards, one touchdown
Calvin Ridley, WR, Falcons: seven receptions, 63 yards, one touchdown
Brady, Bucs Offense Keep Their Foot on the Gas
Any notion that Father Time was finally going to catch Brady was quickly put to bed in Week 1 as the 44-year-old threw for 379 yards and two touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys.
Considering Brady has a full year with the team under his belt and had a normal preseason to prepare, the Bucs offense might be even more dangerous than it was in the second half of 2020.
Inside the red zone, opponents really have to pick their poison. Even if they have Evans and Godwin covered on the outside or load up the box to stop the run, Brady can call upon one of the greatest tight ends ever.
NFL @NFL
Is <a href=”https://twitter.com/RobGronkowski?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@RobGronkowski</a> still in his prime?! <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoBucs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#GoBucs</a><br><br>????: <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ATLvsTB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ATLvsTB</a> on FOX<br>????: NFL app <a href=”https://t.co/uHvsUe4Axz”>pic.twitter.com/uHvsUe4Axz</a>
As much as Tampa Bay’s offense is picking up from where it left off in 2020, the same can’t be said of the defense.
The Bucs allowed 327.1 yards per game last year, sixth-lowest in the NFL. The Cowboys soared well past that number (451 yards), and the champs surrendered 348 yards to a Falcons squad that mustered six points and 260 yards in Week 1.
Dov Kleiman @NFL_DovKleiman
The <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bucs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Bucs</a> defense looks just like they did last season [29th ranked in pass defense], bad.<br><br>They had a good playoff run in the final couple of games but they can’t stop anything. Not a good look for a team looking to repeat.
It’s far too early to start reaching for the panic button, but Todd Bowles’ unit merits some close examination over the next few games.
Ryan Shows out in Losing Effort
Multiple quarterbacks changed teams this offseason, and the Falcons were seemingly embarking on a rebuild—or at the very least a transition—with a new head coach and general manager.
The upheaval saw Julio Jones traded to the Tennessee Titans, but Ryan stuck around in Atlanta. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported in May the 36-year-old “feels he has several good years left, that he can still play at a high level.”
Ryan backed up that assertion Sunday.
Lance Medow @LanceMedow
Matt Ryan’s toughness on full display in Tampa..he’s orchestrated two TD drives in the 3rd quarter thanks to some quick decision making & crafty throws to overcome consistent pressure <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ATLvsTB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ATLvsTB</a>
It’s tough to blame Ryan too much for his three interceptions considering the state of the Falcons running game. Mike Davis and Cordarrelle Patterson combined for 49 yards on 16 carries.
In order to have a chance, Atlanta’s requires a lot of its starting quarterback, and he’ll inevitably throw himself into a mistake or two when the team is down by multiple scores late in a game.
That the Falcons lost despite Ryan’s 300-yard day will inevitably lead some to wonder whether both parties would nonetheless benefit from a separation. Whatever he delivers on the field isn’t enough to overcome the franchise’s glaring flaws.
A midseason trade doesn’t make much sense because Atlanta is without a clear successor. Josh Rosen or Feleipe Franks isn’t the solution.
If Ryan can keep this up, then the team is at least in a strong position at the negotiating table in the offseason.
What’s Next?
The Falcons will look for their first win Sept. 26 against the New York Giants, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. The Bucs hit the road for a difficult matchup with the Los Angeles Rams at 4:25 p.m. ET.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.