Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons GAMEDAY Preview: NFC South on the Line?

Will the Atlanta Falcons beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the second time this season?

The Atlanta Falcons play at home today against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in one of the season’s most important games.

Atlanta’s season has been confusing, to say the least. Despite holding a .500 record, the Falcons somehow sit atop the NFC South in a three-team race for the division.

Currently, the Bucs and New Orleans Saints are both a game behind Atlanta with a record of 5-7. Still, on Sunday, the Falcons will have the opportunity to essentially put the nail in the coffin of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers playoff hopes.

“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a 52% chance of making the playoffs with a Week 14 win against the Atlanta Falcons, but their chances will fall to just 8% with a loss,” Pro Football Focus wrote earlier this week.

As we get late into the season, the losses of rival teams arguably matter more than the Falcons own wins at times. This week, Atlanta has the opportunity to make both happen at Mercedes Benz Stadium.

The Atlanta Falcons will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and attempt to beat them for the second time this season / ClutchPoints

Since its bye week, the Falcons have gone undefeated, winning two straight games, one against the Saints, to reclaim the division’s No. 1 seed.

Earlier this season, Atlanta defeated the Buccaneers by a score of 16-13 without star running back Bijan Robinson being healthy.

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If the team wants to repeat the success it found in Tampa Bay, then the defense will have to hold strong and limit explosive wide receiver Mike Evans, who just secured his tenth straight 1,000-yard season to begin his career.

Assuming the Falcons can beat the Bucs a second time, then Tampa Bay will fall one step closer to joining the Carolina Panthers as teams eliminated from playoff contention altogether, helping Atlanta get one step closer to making the postseason for the first time since 2018.