This upcoming Sunday the reigning champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be taking on the lowly Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons have been struggling the past three seasons, as Matt Ryan looks like a shell of his former self, as well as the team having an 11-22 record.
The Buccaneers have had anything but struggles recently. The offense is firing on all cylinders, the defense is looking just as monstrous as ever, and the synergy within the team is really starting to build, lending to easier wins and more exciting performances.
Bruce Lee once said, “never underestimate your opponent”. Now, although the Falcons are largely inferiorly skilled when compared to the Buccaneers, it would be severely unwise for Tampa Bay to lower their guards and expect a hard game from Atlanta.
That is why I have decided to come up with three keys to beating the Falcons this upcoming Sunday.
#1 – Get to Matt Ryan
In their recent 32-6 loss against the Eagles, the Falcons offensive line was collapsing right in front of our very eyes. I don’t know how many times I saw Matt Ryan either being sacked by an opposing player or being rushed by one. This isn’t conducive to a quarterback’s success, so it will be on the Tampa Bay defense to really build on their pressure games and force the Atlanta O-line to collapse.
Doing this will not only lead to more turnovers but will set a tone to the game that will be beneficial to the Buccaneers.
#2 – Give Brown the Ball Downfield
Antonio Brown played stellarly in the opening season game last week. On five receptions Brown was able to accumulate 121 receiving yards, as well as a touchdown. Those five receptions mean that Brown was able to accumulate an average of 24.2 yards per catch, legitimizing him as the go-to deep-ball threat every NFL team needs.
If you want to move the chains and break down Atlanta offensively, then giving more looks to Brown will definitely come into play, especially considering how stacked this team is on the offensive side. I mean it’s ridiculous, you have Brown, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Rob Gronkowski all receiving the ball from the G.O.A.T. (Tom Brady). To make a long story short, get Brown the ball deep and he’ll make a play. Period.
#3 – Work the Run Game
One thing I saw from the Atlanta Falcons was that they had a hard time trying to stop the Eagles’ run game on Sunday. Whether it was Miles Sanders racking up the rushing yards, or Jalen Hurts rushing for the first down, it seemed the Falcons were at a loss when trying to stop the run game. In total, the Falcons gave up 173 rushing yards on Sunday.
This is the perfect time for Tampa Bay to try and awaken their running game. It has lacked intensity in the past, so this would be the perfect time to get the blood flowing and the running game, comprised of Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones II, going.
Whatever happens, I am just ecstatic that NFL football is back and I am looking forward to viewing this game, and hopefully, watching another Tampa Bay win. Go Bucs Go!
What do you think we need to do in order to beat the Falcons? Let me know in the comments below!