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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUF at NYJ | CLE at PHI | DEN at CAR | DET at IND | GB at JAX | MIN at ARI | NE at OAK | NO at CHI |
| NYG at DAL | PIT at BAL | SD at KC | SEA at STL | SF at MIA | TB at ATL | TEN at HOU | WAS at CIN |
Week 15 Game Recap: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10, Atlanta Falcons 13
What you need to know
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
The Buccaneers started the game sloppy, and with poor offensive play, especially on third down. With their inability to run the ball effectively, they found themselves down 10-0 in the first quarter. The offense continued to struggle until finally, after their second interception of a Matt Ryan pass, Tampa Bay was able to get on the scoreboard on a Brian Griese to Antonio Bryant touchdown pass from 20 yards out to cut the lead to 10-7.
After the Bryant score, Tampa Bay went back to their ineffective offense, but luckily for them, the defense was able to put together a few stops to keep Atlanta from adding to their lead. A Matt Bryant field goal tied the game up in the fourth quarter and sent the game into overtime. In the extra session, Tampa Bay punted away the opening possession, and in effect, the game. Atlanta took their first overtime possession and marched right down the field, on the back of RB Michael Turner and a key third down scramble from Matt Ryan that set up the winning field goal.
| Atlanta Falcons |
The Falcons started off the scoring in the first half on a Jason Elam 26 yard field goal and added to their lead when Michael Turner took in a one yard run to give the team a 10-0 lead. Turner carried the offense throughout most of the game as he finished with 152 yards rushing, and after a few Matt Ryan turnovers helped Tampa Bay come back to tie the game, the teams went into overtime.
Atlanta's defense came up big on the opening drive in overtime, when DE John Abraham sacked Tampa Bay QB Brian Griese on third down and forced the Buccaneers to punt. Turner and the Falcons drove the ball down the Buccaneers' throat, and Ryan had a big three yard scramble on third down and three that helped keep the drive alive. Jason Elam won the game with a 34 yard field goal that ended the drive, and the game, and put Atlanta right back in the wild card mix.
What you ought to know
| QB Brian Griese, Pass: 26 - 37 - 269 - 1 TD / 1 INT |
Griese filled in for the injured Jeff Garcia and completed 26 of 37 passes for 269 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Griese was efficient in Gruden's offense and he completed passes to eight different receivers. His touchdown pass came in the second quarter on a 20 yard scoring pass to WR Antonio Bryant.
| RB Warrick Dunn, Rush: 12 - 40 - 0, Rec: 7 - 50 - 0 (7 targets) |
Dunn finished with 12 attempts for 40 yards rushing and added another 50 yards on seven receptions as he caught every pass thrown his way in the passing game. Dunn made his way into the record books as he became the sixth player in NFL history with 10,000 rushing yards and 500 receptions.
| RB Cadillac Williams, Rush: 14 - 59 - 0, Rec: 1 - 0 - 0 (1 targets) |
Williams led Tampa Bay in rushing with 14 rushes for 59 yards and had one reception for no gain on his only target in the passing game. While his numbers weren't huge, he made another step forward in his comeback from injury.
| WR Antonio Bryant, Rec: 8 - 108 - 1 (12 targets) |
Antonio Bryant's hot play continued against the Falcons as he finished with eight receptions for 108 yards on 12 targets that included a touchdown reception from 20 yards out on Tampa Bay's first score of the game. At times, Bryant seemed to be impossible to cover for anyone in the Falcons secondary.
| WR Michael Clayton, Rec: 3 - 41 - 0 (6 targets) |
Clayton was targeted six times and finished with three receptions for 41 yards. He was targeted twice on third downs, and one pass thrown his way was picked off by Atlanta.
| WR Ike Hilliard, Rec: 3 - 29 - 0 (3 targets) |
Hilliard caught all three passes thrown his way for 29 yards.
| TE Jerramy Stevens, Rec: 2 - 27 - 0 (3 targets) |
Stevens was targeted three times and finished with two receptions for 27 yards. Two of his targets came on third downs.
| PK Matt Bryant 1 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points |
Bryant made good on a 38 yard attempt but pushed a 53 yard attempt wide left that proved to be big considering how the game ended and the margin of defeat for Tampa Bay. Bryant hit his only PAT attempt and finished with four points in the game.
| TB Rush Defense |
For the second week in a row, the Buccaneers rush defense was torn apart by an opposing offense. Coming off a short week and coming into the game without DT's Chris Hovan and Jovan Haye was not a good combination considering Tampa Bay was facing Atlanta and workhorse Michael Turner. The Buccaneers allowed 175 yards rushing on 43 attempts, for a 4.1 ypc average and gave up a short one yard touchdown in the running game. More critically for Tampa Bay, they could not slow down Turner and the Atlanta rushing attack on the final drive of the game in overtime, and it led to the game winning field goal attempt.
LB Barrett Ruud led the way defensively with nine solo tackles and five assists and DB Jermaine Phillips chipped in with nine solo tackles and three assists.
| TB Pass Defense |
Tampa Bay played well against the pass as they limited Matt Ryan's opportunities down field, kept red hot Roddy White under control and did not allow a passing score. They nearly did on the Ryan pass to TE Jason Rader, but Tampa Bay was able to strip the ball at the goal line and take the score off the board following a Buccaneers challenge. The Buccaneers had just one sack, but were able to pick off two Ryan pass attempts. DB's Ronde Barber and Aquib Talib were responsible for the turnovers.
DB Tanard Jackson registered the only Tampa Bay sack of the game and Ronde Barber had five solo tackles and one assist to go along with his interception.
| QB Matt Ryan, Pass: 15 - 23 - 206 - 0 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 6 - 19 - 0 |
While Matt Ryan's stat line didn't show big numbers, he displayed the poise and promise so many observers have seen in the rookie quarterback. He finished 15 of 23 for 206 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions, but showed his strong arm and creativity in the passing game throughout the game. Ryan also contributed 19 yards rushing on six attempts, including a big three yard scramble on third and three that helped keep the game winning drive alive in overtime. Ryan did have two fumbles, but both were recovered by the Falcons.
| RB Michael Turner, Rush: 32 - 152 - 1, Rec: 2 - 30 - 0 (2 targets) |
Turner was a monster in the rushing attack for the Falcons as he ran the ball 32 times for 152 yards and caught two passes for 30 yards on two targets in the passing game. He was also able to get into the end zone on a one yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and throughout the game he just seemed to wear down the Tampa Bay front seven.
| RB Jerious Norwood, Rush: 4 - -7 - 0, Rec: 2 - 24 - 0 (3 targets) |
Norwood could not get much going on the four rushing attempts he had, as he finished with -7 yards rushing, but did have two receptions for 24 yards on three targets in the passing game. As usual, he contributed in the return game, but was held in check for the most part.
| WR Roddy White, Rec: 4 - 61 - 0 (7 targets) |
White led the team in targets with seven, and finished with four receptions for 61 yards. He was targeted three times on third downs and had Tampa Bay defenders beat on a few plays that could have turned into big gains, but the passes either fell incomplete or were picked off. Two passes intended for White were intercepted.
| WR Michael Jenkins, Rec: 3 - 55 - 0 (4 targets) |
Jenkins was targeted four times and finished with three receptions for 55 yards. Two of his receptions netted first downs, and he was targeted twice on third downs.
| TE Jason Rader, Rec: 1 - 26 - 0 (1 targets) |
Rader caught the only pass thrown to him for what appeared to be a 26 yard touchdown reception. The ball was stripped almost simultaneously to Rader crossing the goal line and was challenged by Tampa Bay. The call was reversed to a lost fumble, and the ball was turned over to Tampa Bay.
| PK Jason Elam 2 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 7 points |
Elam connected on field goal attempts from 26 and 34 yards out and added an extra point to finish with seven points in the game. Most importantly, Elam hit the 34 yard attempt in overtime to win the game for Atlanta.
| ATL Rush Defense |
The Falcons played well against the run as they allowed just 99 yards on 26 attempts for a 3.8 ypc average. They kept Tampa Bay out of the end zone on the ground and allowed just five rushing first downs for the game.
DB Lawyer Milloy had nine solo tackles and three assists and LB Keith Brooking added six solo tackles and four assists to lead the Falcons.
| ATL Pass Defense |
Atlanta's pass defense was tested against the Buccaneers, and while they did give up some big plays, they made plays when they had to. For the game they allowed just 226 net passing yards, sacked Tampa Bay QB Brian Griese four times and held Tampa Bay to three of 14 on third downs. They did give up a passing score and allowed WR Antonio Bryant to have a big game, but their ability to stop the run and hold on third down went a long way in helping the Falcons come away with the win.
DL John Abraham had three sacks for Atlanta and DB Dominique Foxworth had Atlanta's only interception of the game.