TV Schedule: Sunday, Nov. 17, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

Stadium: Raymond James Stadium

Weather: High 82, Low 70

Line: Atlanta (-1)

Coming into the season, people believed that the Atlanta Falcons would be contending for a Super Bowl this season behind the strong arm of Matt Ryan. However, the team has severely underperformed and the Falcons are just 2-7 and it looks like a lot of the struggled have come because of Julio Jones‘ injury depleting the pass game. Ryan has passed for 2,614 yards and 16 touchdowns on the year while hitting Harry Douglas 45 times for 620 yards and a touchdown, attempting to replace Jones’ 580 yards and two touchdowns in the first few weeks of the season before his devastating injury. Steven Jackson has been nearly non-existent in the run game this season especially because of his injury problems. Jacquizz Rodgers leads all rushers with 251 yards and two touchdowns while also catching 38 passes for 219 yards and two scores.

Greg Schiano had seemingly lost control of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but a win in week 10 over the in-state rival Miami Dolphins restored even the smallest bit of hope in the coach. The Buccaneers improved their record to 1-8 after the win, but it has been a total disaster of a season down in Tampa and a lot of that has to do with the unsettling quarterback situation in which the team saw Josh Freeman released and rookie Mike Glennon thrown into the fire. Glennon has 1,304 yards and nine touchdowns in just a handful of starts this season while replacing Freeman. Vincent Jackson has given the young quarterback a solid target to throw to, catching 46 passes for 662 yards and four scores. Doug Martin has been injured and will likely be out for quite a while, rushing for 456 yards and a touchdown on the year.

Defensively, the Falcons have been less than average this season. In fact, Atlanta is a lower-tier team on defense this season, ranking in both total yards and passing yards allowed while ranking 27th in passing yards allowed and 29th in points allowed per game. Tampa Bay, surprisingly, has been much better than Atlanta, ranking 14th in both total yards and passing yards while ranking fifth in rushing yards allowed with just 95 per game.

PREDICTION: Falcons 31, Buccaneers 21

Related: Atlanta Falcons: Matt “Mattie Ice” Ryan Melts Under Pressure

Mike James’ Injury Is a Disaster for Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Connor Muldowney is a columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connormuldowney, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google. You can also reach him at .


Related Atlanta Falcons

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Atlanta Falcons Potentially Losing OC Dirk Koetter to Boise State Would Be Good Riddance
NFL: Atlanta Falcons at Buffalo Bills
Atlanta Falcons: End of the Road in Sight for Tony Gonzalez
NFL: Atlanta Falcons at Miami Dolphins
Atlanta Falcons: Ryan Schraeder’s Future in Atlanta is Up To Him
NFL: Atlanta Falcons at Buffalo Bills
Atlanta Falcons’ William Moore Risks Suspension With Repeated Fines

Related Game Preview

Cowboys
Cowboys vs. Bears NFL Week 14: TV Schedule, Betting Lines, Prediction
Panthers
Panthers vs. Saints NFL Week 14: TV Schedule, Betting Lines, Prediction
Chargers
Giants vs. Chargers NFL Week 14: TV Schedule, Betting Lines, Prediction
Seahawks
Seahawks vs. 49ers NFL Week 14: TV Schedule, Betting Lines, Prediction

Related Tampa Bay Buccaneers

RAINEY
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 5 Players Who Stepped Up vs. Buffalo Bills
Manuel Sad
What We Learned From Week 14: Buffalo Bills – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers
Buccaneers vs. Bills: 5 Things to Look For
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Player Profile: Akeem Spence

Related Videos

Marcus Mariota
Oregon’s Marcus Mariota’s NFL Draft Stock Won’t Get Any Higher Than It Is Now
2014 NFL Draft
2014 NFL Draft: Chicago Bears’ Plans Change As Top QBs Start To Fall
hundley
Assessing the Chances of the New York Jets Drafting a Quarterback
Stevie Fumble
Could The Buffalo Bills Land A Top-Five Pick?

Around the Web

ZergNet

From Our Partners