Tampa Bay (10-8) at Atlanta (8-9)
Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox
BetMGM NFL Odds: Buccaneers by 2 1/2.
Series record: Falcons lead 32-31
Last meeting: Falcons beat Buccaneers 31-26 on Oct. 27, 2024, in Tampa Bay.
Buccaneers offense (2024): overall (3), rush (4) pass (3), scoring (4).
Buccaneers defense (2024): overall (18), rush (4), pass (29), scoring (16).
Falcons offense: overall (6), rush (10), pass (5), scoring (T-13).
Falcons defense: overall (23), rush (15), pass (22), scoring (23).
Turnover differential: Buccaneers
minus-5; Falcons minus-6.
WR Emeka Egbuka, a first-round pick, steps into the WR2 role behind Mike Evans. Egbuka had 205 receptions for 2,868 yards and 24 touchdowns over four seasons at Ohio State. He set a school record for career receptions and had two 1,000-yard receiving seasons, including a team-leading 81 catches for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024.
Elijah Wilkinson is expected to step in as the starting right tackle after Kaleb McGary was lost for the season with a left leg injury on Aug. 20. Wilkinson, 30, has 45 starts and has played both tackle and guard with Denver, Chicago and Atlanta. McGary's strength was clearing running room, but Wilkinson's pass-blocking will be especially important for left-handed quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
Backup LT Charlie Heck, filling in for Tristan Wirfs, vs. Falcons edge rushers Leonard Floyd, James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker. Floyd, the veteran who was Atlanta's top free-agent addition, has been overlooked with the focus on Pearce and Walker, the first-round picks.
Buccaneers: All-Pro LT Tristan Wirfs (knee) and WR Chris Godwin (ankle) are out. ... S Christian Izien (oblique), NT Vita Vea (foot), CB Benjamin Morrison (quad) and TE Cade Otton (groin) are working through injuries.
Falcons: WR Darnell Mooney (shoulder) missed the preseason and was limited on Wednesday. He may be a game-time decision. S DeMarcco Hellams (hamstring) and OT Jack Nelson (calf) were held out of Wednesday’s practice. CB Clark Phillips (rib) was limited. LB/Edge Jalon Walker (groin) is on pace to play.
The Falcons have won four of the past five games in the NFC South rivalry, including a sweep last season. Atlanta took a 36-30 overtime home victory on Oct. 3 before winning another close game less than one month later at the Buccaneers. The teams split two games in 2023. By winning the last of two games in the series in 2019, the Buccaneers launched a streak of five straight wins over the Falcons. The teams have played six overtime games in the rivalry that began with Atlanta taking a 17-0 win on Nov. 27, 1977, at Tampa Bay.
Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield was second in TD passes (41), third in passing (4,500) and fourth in passer rating (106.8) last season. He has 13 TDs (12 passing, 1 rush) and three 3 INTs for 105.2 rating in five starts vs. Atlanta. ... RB Bucky Irving led all rookies in scrimmage yards (1,514), yards rushing (1,122) and TDs rushing (8) last season. ... RB Rachaad White had 51 catches, 1,006 scrimmage yards in 2024 and is one of two RBs (Alvin Kamara) with 50-plus catches in each of the past three seasons. ... WR Mike Evans can become the first player with 1,000 yards receiving in 12 straight seasons. ... TE Cade Otton set career highs with 59 catches and 600 yards receiving last season. Had career-high nine catches for 81 yards and two TDs in the previous meeting vs. Atlanta. ... LB Haason Reddick has at least 11 sacks in four of his past five seasons. ... NT Vita Vea had career-best seven sacks last season. ... DL Calijah Kancey had 7 1/2 sacks in 2024. ... Penix completed 61 of 105 passes for 775 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions in five games, including three starts, last season. ... In three games with Penix as the quarterback, Drake London had 22 receptions for 352 yards, including 10 catches for 187 yards and two TDs in the final game of the season. Overall, London had 100 catches for 1,271 yards and nine TDs. ... S Jessie Bates III forced three fumbles against Tampa Bay last season, the most forced fumbles by a player against one team in the league. ... Bates was the only player in the league to have four interceptions and four forced fumbles in 2024. ... LT Jake Matthews has started a team-record 178 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL. QB Matt Ryan had the old Falcons record of 154 consecutive starts.
Penix has the spotlight but Bijan Robinson remains the player to watch for the Falcons, especially for fantasy players. Robinson enters the season as one of the top three running backs in fantasy after rushing for 1,456 yards with 14 touchdowns and adding 61 catches for 431 yards and another score in 2024, his second season. The Falcons have Tyler Allgeier as a productive second back and could use two-back sets which could free Robinson to be used as a receiver.
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