Our long summer of discontent has reached its end, and Falcons football is officially back on the Sunday menu. To kick things off, Atlanta will tangle with the divisional rival Bucs, where they enter as 1.5-point underdogs in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
The Bucs also sit as -120 favorites to take home the NFC South crown once again. Atlanta can use Week 1 to put the division on notice with that slight upset win, and they’ll lean heavily on running back Bijan Robinson to keep the chains
moving and allow quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to pick his shots downfield. They may be without one of their top weapons, however, as No. 2 wide receiver Darnell Mooney will be a game-time decision. Mooney has been battling a shoulder injury since July 24.
The Bucs aren’t without injuries to key players, either. Star defensive tackle Vita Vea popped up on the injury report this week and is questionable heading into Sunday afternoon’s kickoff. One of the cogs on Tampa Bay’s stout defensive front, if Vea is unable to go it should open things up for Atlanta’s offense.
The Falcons swept the Buccaneers last season and had a realistic shot at reclaiming NFC South supremacy, but were undone by poor play in the second half. The 2025 campaign would certainly start off on the right foot if they can best the Bucs (and the oddsmakers) at home on Sunday afternoon.
