The winning streak is over for the Buccaneers.  The Falcons beat the Bucs 24-23 at Raymond James Stadium to end Tampa Bay’s four-game win streak.  The Bucs fall to 6-5 on the season while the Falcons improve to 10-1.

Falcons got the football first and proceeded to march down the field on a 12-play, 67-yard drive that ended with a 30-yard field goal by Matt Bryant to give Atlanta the early 2-0 lead.  The Falcons made a point of running the ball effectively on that drive with Michael Turner and Jacquizz Rodgers, who combined for 7 carries on that drive.  The Bucs responded with a 10-play, 81-yard drive.  Doug Martin capped off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to pu the Bucs on top 7-3.  Josh Freeman was 4-for-4 on the drive for 56 yards. 

The Falcons went 75 yards on 10 plays in the second quarter to take a 10-7 lead on a 5-yd TD run by Jacquizz Rodgers.  The Bucs defense did not get much pressure on Matt Ryan on that drive.  Later in the quarter, Ronde Barber picked off Ryan and returned it into Falcons territory.  Bucs used a trick play with a double-pass.  Freeman began the play with a lateral to Mike Williams, who then hit Vincent Jackson for a gain of 28 yards.  Bucs settled for a Connor Barth 22-yard FG to tie the game at 10-10.  Falcons made a bid to retake the lead but Bryant missed a chip shot 22-yd FG at the gun.  Score was tied at 10 at halftime.

Bucs got the ball first to begin the second half and went on a 62-yard drive.  Connor Barth hit a 42-yd FG to give the Bucs a 13-10 lead.  Freeman hit Jackson on a big 41-play to set up the field goal.  On the Falcons’ first offensive play of the second half, Ryan found Jones on an 80-yard TD pass to give the Falcons a 17-13 lead.  Jones toasted Leonard Johnson on the play.  The Bucs drove the ball down to inside the Falcons’ 1-yard line as the 3rd quarter expired with Atlanta leading 17-13.

The fourth quarter began with a 1-yd TD by Martin to give the Bucs a 20-17 lead.  Then, Ryan was sacked and fumbled on a corner blitz by E.J. Biggers.  Gerald McCoy recovered the fumble in Falcons territory.  Barth nailed a 48-yd FG to put Tampa Bay up 23-17 with 10:28 left.  The Falcons drove it down the field and were aided by an Ahmad Black holding call inside the 5-yard line.  Michael Turner finished it off for a 3-yd TD run to give the Falcons a 24-23 lead with 7:55 left.  The Bucs drove it into Atlanta territory but Barth missed a 55-yard FG with 3:32 left.  The kick was wide right and short.  The Falcons worked the clock with some effective running by Turner and Rodgers.  But Bryant missed a 38-yard FG with 8-seconds left.  Freeman’s Hail Mary pass fell incomplete in the end zone and that ended it. 

 

News & Notes:

  • Josh Freeman wasn’t at his best today.  Freeman completed 19 of 30 passes for 256 yards and no touchdowns.  He missed some open receivers downfield.
  • Credit the Falcons rush defense for stuffing Doug Martin all day long.  While Martin did rush for two scores, he was held to 50 yards on 21 carries.
  • Just about every Bucs player in the locker room credited the Falcons with the victory but they also said they were just one play away from getting the win.  “We just left some meat on the bones”, says right tackle Demar Dotson.
  • Ronde Barber picked off Matt Ryan in the first half to set up a Connor Barth field goal.  Barber now has a club-record 47 career interceptions.
  • Julio Jones was questionable all week heading into the game but he sure looked fast on his 80-yard TD catch when he burned Leonard Johnson.   Jones finished with 6 catches for 147 yards.  “He just ran by me”, said Johnson after the game. 
  • The Bucs hit the road next Sunday to visit Peyton Manning and the Broncos.  Our coverage begins at 9am on 620 WDAE, your home of the Bucs.