Atlanta Falcons Beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 3 Takeaways

Three takeaways from the NFC South showdown between the Atlanta Falcons win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Atlanta Falcons beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16-13, giving them the divisional lead in the NFC South. 

Here are three takeaways from the win ...

Jeff Okudah was a Good Pickup

Going up against Pro Bowl-caliber receivers in Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, having strong play in the secondary is essential if you want a chance to compete with the Bucs.

A.J. Terrell is a proven stud at cornerback, but today, he seemed to be getting caught getting overly physical at times against Evans. 

Okudah, on the other hand, seemed to be having his name called all game. The offseason addition from the Detroit Lions was a difference maker in this game, regularly coming up with the tackle needed to stall Tampa’s offense. 

He finished with six total tackles and a pass deflection. Perhaps Detroit was too quick to move on from the talented young corner, but the Falcons look better for it.

The Atlanta Falcons had a good team win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  / USA Today Sports

No Bijan, No Problem?

After lacking any touches in the first half and seeing only six snaps on the field, it was revealed after halftime that the superstar rookie running back Bijan Robinson wasn’t feeling well heading into this contest, so the team kept him on the sidelines.

However, he would see some action in the game's final minute. Robinson had his lone touch running for three yards and helping set up the game-winning field goal.

In Robinson’s absence, Atlanta’s running game had 153 yards total between quarterback Desmond Ridder, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Tyler Allgeier.

Allgeier also had 53 receiving yards on three targets, showing that even when Robinson is on the sidelines, the Falcons running back room has what it takes to play Arthur Smith’s brand of smash-mouth football.

Although the team survived without Robinson in the lineup, it’s clear that he’s a special player, and the fact that the team was able to get the win with him on the sidelines and take the lead in the NFC South is promising for this young squad’s playoff prospects.

Desmond Ridder had a Standard Game

Early on, it seemed like Ridder would have the best game of his career. Ridder was throwing the ball into tight windows and looking confident while doing so. He even ran into the endzone on the team’s first drive, making it seem like it could be a high-scoring day for the Falcons offense.

Then, we began to see Ridder return to form. The team would score only field goals after the quick touchdown early. Even when it looked like points were a sure thing.

One week after, Ridder had over 300 passing yards and three interceptions; he ran for a touchdown and lost three fumbles.

As much as the team may support RIdder as its leader despite the public's skepticism, no one can deny that RIdder has a turnover problem.

Whether through the air or on the ground, six turnovers in two games isn’t a sustainable way for a team to continue winning football games, and it needs to be corrected as soon as possible.