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By Don Stone - Football Atlanta
Some preseason prognosticators see this year's Falcons as about the same
as last season, 8-8. Some are not so optimistic. I believe the biggest
factor won't be how much improved Atlanta is but how much improved their
quality of opponent will be. Normally, when a team has an average or below
season, the schedule gets a bit softer the following year. Not this time. As
I mentioned in another story,
Click Here,
the Falcons' 2016 quality of opponent had a 142-114 record in 2015 as
opposed to the teams that they played last year, who finished with a
combined 118-122. The 2016 teams won 24 more games and lost eight fewer.
And, we faced numerous opponents last season who, for various reasons, were
playing with a backup quarterback...and still only won 8 games. Five of
those were at the beginning of the season. But, after that 5-0 start,
Atlanta went 3-8 down the stretch. The only bright spot was giving the 15-1
Panthers their only loss.
All of that makes this opening game even more important. Of course, you
want to get off to a good start. And, a win against Tampa Bay is very
possible. But, you want to get your wins where you can with this schedule
and after this, it gets a bit hairy. Next week, they face a Raider team that
only won 7 in 2015. But, its still a west coast road game and many see them
as a possible playoff team this year. After that, they go to New Orleans,
who beat us twice last season for a Monday Night Katrina 10th anniversary
game. Then back home with Carolina followed by a pair of road games at Super
Bowl Champion Denver and Seattle. So back to back games against the two
teams from the Super Bowl. So, obviously, a win here is almost crucial.
The Falcons do look better than last year if you can take anything away
from their 3-1 preseason and training camp. The Bucs have former Falcons
head coach Mike Smith working for the defense and former Falcons DC
Dirk Koetter (2012-14)as head coach. Jameis Winston should be
improved in his second season. And, if anyone has a clue how to defend
Matt Ryan, it would be those two.
The Bucs finished 2015 at 4-12, last in the NFC South. But there is much
optimism amongst their fans with a new head coach and at least half a dozen
new starters and an overhauled defense under Smitty. USA Today said they
might be the surprise team of this season.
Atlanta got the ball to start the game at their 19 and went a quick three
and out. A bad 34 yard Matt Bosher punt gave Tampa Bay the ball for
their first drive at their 38. On a third and four, Winston went deep and
drew a flag on rookie De'Vondre Campbell at the AF31. RB Doug
Martin bulled his way for 12. But Campbell moved them back six
with a sack. Winston had a wide open Mike Evans in the end zone and
overthrew him by five yards. Roberto Aguaho gave the Bucs the first
points of the season to go up 3-0.
The Falcons second drive started at their 25 with Ryan spotting a wide
open Mohamed Sanu streaking down the sidelines. It would be 59 yards
later before a Buc could bring him down at the TB18. But a Ryan sack by
Robert Ayers ended that. Matt Bryant tied the game from 34 yards.
Tampa Bay's second drive began at their 25 and couldn't produce a first
down. Atlanta took over at their 36 and had the same result with a booming
Bosher 49 yard punt all the way to the TB9. Bucs DE Jacquies Smith
suffered a knee injury and would be our for the game. A holding call
followed by a delay of game brought up a second and fifteen at the three.
Winston hit a receiver, but he was wearing red as Desmond Trufant
picked him off at the 22 and ran it back to the 13.
But, the Bucs had no exclusive on penalties as Atlanta began with a false
start. First and 15 at the 18. A shovel pass to Devonta Freeman got
11 of it back to the seven. Ryan completed one to TE Jacob Tamme just
short of the goal line, but enough for a first and goal. Another false start
moved it to the six. Then they hit pay dirt as Sanu pulled one down from the
back of the end zone for Atlanta's first touchdown of the season to make it
10-3.
Tampa Bay got a first down with the help of Atlanta jumping off sides
moving it to the 38. Grady Jarrett almost had a sack but Winston got
it off to Martin as he was going down and hit Martin for 14 yards. Another
completion for seven to Martin who followed with seven more on the ground.
Adam Humphries caught one and ran 22 yards all the way to the six. TE
Brandon Myers was open at the front of the end zone to tie the game
at 10.
Atlanta started at their 25. A stumbling Julio Jones pulled in his
first catch of the game and fell 14 yards to the 38. Tevin Coleman
caught one and flew for 16 more to the TB45. But the Bucs defense stiffened
forcing a punt again pinning them back to the nine.
After failing to convert, the visitors were hit with an unnecessary
roughness call moving it back to the nine. The 52 yard punt was fair caught
by Eric Weems at the AF 39. Coleman spun around to grab a pass
behind him and took it 47 yards to the TB10. A poor judgment short toss to a
covered Freeman lost five followed by a false start to bring up made it
third and goal from the 17 at the two minute warning. A short handoff to
Coleman indicated they were happy to settle for a field goal. Another red
zone opp lost. Bryant hit from 34 to make it 13-10.
The Buccaneers then exploded for 14 points over a matter of a few
minutes. The Bucs last drive of the half started at their 25 with 1:45 left.
They got 17 on a pass to Cameron Brate who got seven more to the
Atl45. Two incompletions brought up a third and 10 at the 41. Winston hit
Vincent Jackson for a first down at the 30 then seven more to the 23
with 0:25 to go. A bunch of missed tackles let Charlie Sims weave his
way to the end zone to give Tampa Bay a 17-13 halftime lead. Both teams were
off an on with their drives but even in yardage. Much of that was between
the 20s.
The visitors got the ball to start the second half at their 25 and scored
quickly with three huge passes...a pair to to Evans for 15 and 27. Then a 30
yard pass with a diving catch in the end zone by Austin Seferian-Jenkins.
Four plays, seventy five yards in just 2:06. Suddenly it was 24-13.
Jones pulled in his second pass for 19 to the Atl40. Sanu got enough for
a first down at midfield. But a sack lost six. Gerald McCoy
celebrated too much after the play and was called on it moving it up to the
TB40. After failing to convert, Atlanta's Chris Chester was called
for a personal foul forcing a punt fro the 50. An unnecessary roughness call
against the Bucs put them at their 8. For the third time beginning a drive
inside their ten. And, despite that, they still lead by 11.
After failing to convert, Atlanta got them out of the hole plus 15 yards
on a personal foul putting the ball at the 25. Martin galloped for 17 into
Falcons territory at the 44. Another score might put this one out of reach.
The way the Atlanta offense had struggled, it was close to that already.
Then a possible back breaker with a 45 yard pass and over the shoulder catch
by Evans in the end zone to make it an 18 point deficit, 31-13. That whole
drive thanks to the roughness call on the Falcons. Even without that call,
the drive would still have been extended with an extra holding call that was
declined.
Desperation would best describe the next drive, needing seven points
badly. A good start with a 14 yard completion to TE Austin Hooper at
the 43. Tamme was open but Ryan overthrew him. A seven yarder to Freeman at
midfield made it third and three. That desperation came in to play as the
Falcons were forced into going for it on fourth and three. This time, he
reached Tamme at the TB40 for a needed first down. Sanu caught one for seven
at the 33. Ryan tucked it in and scrambled for another first at the 26. The
crowd erupted when Julio caught one at the 25 then sprinted the rest of the
way. A two point conversion pass to Sanu cut the lead to a more manageable
10 points, 31-21.
Winston started with an 8 yard completion, again to Evans. But the
defense held forcing a punt from the 33 as the game moved into the final
quarter.
Again, Atlanta needed a score beginning their drive at the 15. The shovel
pass again to Freeman netted seven. Then two big plays, an 8 yard pass to
Jones and a 10 yard rush by Freeman. Coleman picked up seven for a third and
three at the 47. But a third Ryan sack stopped it in its tracks. An illegal
hands to the face call on the Bucs was assessed after the punt putting it
again inside their 10 for the fourth time.
A big third and six failed giving Atlanta the ball back still down by two
scores with just under 10 minutes remaining. The defense did their job. Now
the offense needed to produce. Again, needing at least a field goal to pull
to within seven. Weems took the 57 yard punt to the 40.
Coleman continued showing his value as a receiver by taking it down the
left sideline to the TB36. Then to the right side for 13 more to the 26.
Another big play on a third and 12 at the 25. Tamme was hit short of the
first down market but broke free for 12 to the 13 and a first down as the
Bucs called their first time out. Freeman squirted through for seven with
the clock ticking at 5:46 but was brought down for a five yard loss for
another big third down and eight. Again, Ryan threw it right into the hands
of a guy with defenders all over him and had it batted to the ground. Bryant
brought his team to within seven with a 29 yarder. Bucs 31, Falcons 24 with
just under five minutes remaining.
Defense needed again with Tampa Bay's drive starting at the 17. Martin
got a first on a pair of carries for nine and four with the clock at 3:40.
Humphres was run out of bounds after seven at the 37. Dan Quinn
called his first time out setting up a third and three. A short pass to Sims
got another first at the 42 as Quinn had to stop the clock again at 3:04. A
stop here or a turnover was essential. Quinn burned his final timeout at
2:20 with a crucial third and five. Without a stop on this play, its pretty
much over. And Winston was stopped on a keeper at the two minute warning.
Atlanta would get their shot, down by 7 but needing 91 yards. Still, if you
don't tie it here, you don't deserve to win.
Tamme got it to the 28. They were down to a do or die fourth and ten. And
they died with three straight incompletions at the worst possible time. THey
Falcons got the last thing they needed. An 0-1 start and a division loss.
