Thursday Night Football: Atlanta Falcons 29, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28
First of all, let me just say that the game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Bucs on Thursday Night Football was aesthetically pleasing. It felt a little like a throwback to an earlier era in the NFL. Both teams wore throwback uniforms from decades ago, and the game was also played on natural grass. I personally always preferred natural grass to any form of artificial turf. It just looks better, more natural. As for the uniforms, it would really be nice if both teams scrapped their current logos and uniforms and returned to these logos and uniforms.
But I digress....
As for the game....well, I mentioned in the preview that it feels like there are more questions than answers with this Tampa Bay team. And after seeing them once again seemingly have an opponent on the ropes, only to once again allow them to get off the hook and steal a win hardly felt like a solid, definitive statement kind of game. Which is what they probably needed at this point.
At the very least, they needed a win. But they did not get one.
Again, they had a weaker opponent on the ropes. In fact, they scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to go up - seemingly comfortably - 28-14. At home and against a seemingly weaker opponent, in a must win situation.
Yet, they could not hold on. The Falcons had just committed a costly turnover, and Tampa Bay made the most of the opportunity with a touchdown. But then the Falcons offense, led by quarterback Kirk Cousins, marched down the field in an impressive drive that culminated in a touchdown. For some inexplicable reason (at least to me), Atlanta went for two, and failed. But it was still 28-20.
Then the Bucs returned the earlier favor and committed a turnover. The Falcons made the most of that opportunity with another impressive drive. Once again, it culminated in another touchdown. This time, Atlanta of course had to go for the two-point conversion. But it failed, as the Bucs defense held.
By that point, the Bucs clearly had lost the momentum and were desperately trying to cling to their lead. But at least their defense had held the Falcons off during in both of those two-point conversions. Still, the Tampa offense could seemingly do nothing, and soon had to punt to the Falcons.
There were a lot of problems that the Falcons faced on that drive. That included a third and 28 and a long fourth down (I believe that it was 14 yards). Tampa Bay should have buried them.
But they didn't. The Falcons kept successfully converting these seemingly last gasp chances.
Ultimately, it came down to a 42-yard field goal attempt by Atlanta placekicker Zane Gonzalez. It veered a bit to the left, and was hardly a comfortable kick, narrowly missing the goalpost. Yet it snuck through, allowing Atlanta to steal a win and, like the Saints one week before them, to play the role of spoiler for the Buccaneers.
It was hardly a perfect game for the Falcons. While they outgained Tampa Bay with 476 total yards to just 338 for the Bucs, they nonetheless committed that costly turnover and also had a whopping 19 penalties for 125 yards. Far from perfection.
Yet good enough to beat the Bucs, handing them a second straight divisional loss at home. Now, the glaring question is whether or not Tampa Bay will be good enough to rebound from their current rut enough to win the division and/or qualify for the postseason.
That seemed like a no-brainer just weeks ago. Now, the Bucs have put themselves in a position where they probably have to win both meetings against Carolina, who has a chance to move into sole possession of first place with a win over the Saints in New Orleans this Sunday.
My pick: Inaccurate
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