Bucs vs Falcons, let’s talk about it.
Football is a game of inches, but it’s also a game of quarters. Let’s dive into a quarter-by-quarter breakdown of some Tampa Bay Bucs’ football. Today, the Bucs took on the Atlanta Falcons in round two of the rivalry.
First Quarter:
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Tampa Bay’s offense, down Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, started the game with the ball and the running game. Most would have expected as much, perhaps Atlanta did as well— within the first minute of the game, the Falcons’ defense provided a jolt of momentum punching the ball out of Rachaad White’s hands. White’s fourth career fumble led to a wide-open Kyle Pitts touchdown. 7-0, Falcons.
The Bucs did not change their approach in drive two. Tampa Bay’s running backs are the only team with three running backs above 250 yards from scrimmage this season and they flexed their muscles on the game’s second drive. Though the drive finished with Baker Mayfield tossing a touchdown to Cade Otton, the Bucs’ second possession featured the team’s running backs more than any a Tampa Bay fan has seen in recent memory. Rachaad White and Bucky Irving, sometimes on the field simultaneously, escorted Tampa past Atlanta’s defense— 7-7.
Second Quarter:
With 15 of the Bucs’ first 21 plays featuring running backs, Tampa Bay took their first lead of the game— Baker Mayfield to Rachaad White, redemption for his first-drive fumble. 14-7, Bucs. Atlanta’s offense stepped back on the field having not even broken a sweat— With Tampa’s time of possession cruising over 16 mins, while the Falcons only held the ball for 3:39. The difference, a full compliment of weapons for Kirk Cousins. Cousins, once again, took his offense down the field in a blink, finding Kyle Pitts for his second touchdown of the game— 14-14, tied.
Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Following a Bucs’ punt, the Falcons continued to run Todd Bowles’ defense out of the stadium. A Darnell Mooney touchdown gave Atlanta’s offense 21 points in the half against barely a whiff of Tampa Bay pass rush. Baker Mayfield, in a two-minute offense without the usual suspects moved his offense into range for a Chase McLaughlin field goal. Three more points for Tampa and three more for Atlanta brought the halftime score 24-17. Falcons.
Third Quarter:
The Falcons began half number two on offense but, in an out of character showing started with a punt. Trey Palmer handed his offense good field position, however, it would go unutilized. Baker Mayfield, deciding Ryan Miller was a good jump-ball option, was intercepted by Jessie Bates III. Another Atlanta punt set up the Bucs to punt again. Rather than show off their newly minted punter, they chose to run a fake punt. The failed fake gave Atlanta great field position, which became another Kirk Cousins score— Cousins’ fourth touchdown of the game.
Fourth Quarter:
Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Tampa Bay’s fourth quarter effort kicked off with Baker Mayfield’s second interception. Tampa’s defense erased the low of that interception with the high of the season’s first safety— a fumbled handoff that was tripped over, kicked, and pushed out of the endzone for two points. A safety comes with two points on the scoreboard and the ball for your offense. With the refusal of allowing the last drive’s interception to nag him, Baker Mayfield proceeded to rip rocket shot after rocket shot finding his depth pieces, turned starters, for another touchdown and more importantly hope. 31-26, Atlanta. That newfound hope would dissipate quickly as the Falcons drained the clock beneath the two-minute warning. Even though Atlanta went on to miss a field goal and give the Bucs life again, Baker Mayfield and the Bucs’ offense would use that life to do little more than go down swinging. 31-26, Falcons.
Noteworthy performers:
Bucky Irving- 16 touches, 84 yards
Cade Otton- 9 catches, 81 yards, 2 TD’s
C.J. Brewer- 2 sacks
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