Falcons @ Buccaneers
Final Score: ATL 31 – TB 26
Writer: Cesar Escajeda (@cescajeda13 on Twitter)
It was a battle for NFC South supremacy on National Tight End Day, a game that featured fireworks from the position on both sides. In the end, the shorthanded Bucs fell late and found themselves at 4-4 on the year, ceding the tiebreaker to the Falcons who have won both matchups on the year.
Three Up
- Kirk Cousins, QB (ATL) – Just a few weeks removed from the NFL’s first 500+ yard game through the air this season in their first matchup, Kirk Cousins picked right where he left off and diced up the Buccaneers secondary for four total scores. His early throws featured long bombs downfield to put Atlanta up early, and Cousins kept his foot on the gas long enough in the game to come out of Raymond James Stadium with the win.
- Kyle Pitts, TE (ATL) – Speaking of those lobbed bombs, Kyle Pitts featured early in massive ways for the Falcons’ passing attack, registering scores of 36 and 49 yards on the way to a 4-91-2 statline. Pitts has been consistently productive of late, with this most recent matchup against their division rivals his best outing yet this season.
- Cade Otton, TE (TB) – Someone had to fill the void left behind by star wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and of all people, Cade Otton stepped up to the plate. The young TE was all over the field for the Bucs and quickly became Tampa’s most consistent pass catcher, leading all receivers for the home team in targets, receptions, yards, and scores.
Two Down
- Baker Mayfield, QB (TB) – It’s hard to put Baker Mayfield here, given that he did what he could with what he had after the litany of injuries the Bucs are facing at the wide receiver position. By box score, the former Sooner had a solid game and kept Tampa competitive – but ultimately, it was the sloppiness of play on the day that doomed them at home, with his two interceptions in Falcons’ territory ringing loudly at the most inopportune moments.
- Sterling Shepard, WR (TB) – The veteran wideout was expected to be relied upon heavily for the Bucs with the WR1 and WR2 out for the immediate future. Instead, he had a fairly pedestrian day and took a back seat in the passing game, before ultimately being knocked out with a hamstring injury. With three of their top receivers down for the count, Tampa Bay may need to look to outside options before the looming trade deadline to keep their season afloat.
Atlanta Falcons
Quarterback
Kirk Cousins: 23/29, 276 Yards, 4 TDs, 1 FUM | 3 Carries, 16 Yards
The veteran had himself an efficient day on the road to ensure control of the NFC South.
Cousins didn’t put up the yardage that he did in their first matchup on Thursday Night Football, but he still had no problem lighting up the scoreboard against their division rivals. He was surgical early downfield, with his first three touchdowns registering at 36, 49, and 30 yards respectively. He had no problems carving up the Buccaneers’ secondary, though he did start to cool down substantially after the first half. His play did just enough to keep the Falcons’ offense moving, managing a strike to Bijan Robinson late that put Atlanta up for good, – but he was also credited with a costly fumbled handoff to Tyler Allgeier in the endzone that Tampa Bay took for a safety, giving them life late and making the game closer than it needed to be.
Running Back
Bijan Robinson: 13 Carries, 63 Yards | 6 Targets, 6 Receptions, 37 Yards, 1 TD
It was a decent day for the former Longhorn standout.
Robinson didn’t see a ton of volume, but kept his feet moving and made himself an asset for Cousins both on the ground and through the passing game, scoring the final Falcons’ touchdown on a 1-yard toss. His lack of touches may frustrate some considering the talent he brings to the table, but he at least produced with what he got and had himself an OK day.
Tyler Allgeier: 12 Carries, 33 Yards
Allgeier found himself in an almost even split with Robinson for touches out of the backfield, but was a lot less effective. He was an absolute blank through the air, however, and served as nothing more than a high-value handcuff meant to torment Robinson managers throughout the land.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Kyle Pitts: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 91 Yards, 2 TDs
Pitts was apparently powered by a national holiday to put forth his best performance yet for Atlanta.
It didn’t take long to get the talented tight end going statistically, with Pitts raking in deep ball shots from Cousins to race out on the scoreboard early. His volume wasn’t exactly massive (third among Falcons receivers), but his two touchdowns speak for themselves, as well as his healthy 22.8 yards per catch that outpaced his fellow teammates quite handily. It was a great day overall for the fourth-year man, one he can continue to build on with steady quarterback play at the helm.
Darnell Mooney: 7 Targets, 5 Receptions, 92 Yards, 1 TD
Darnell Mooney had himself a game, leading the Falcons in yardage and targets on the afternoon. The veteran receiver has been inconsistent throughout the season, but in two games against Tampa Bay, he’s put up 14 receptions, 197 yards, and 3 touchdowns total. If only he played the Bucs every week.
Drake London: 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 34 Yards
A quiet day for Atlanta’s WR1, Tampa Bay made it a point to neutralize the star wideout and Cousins was happy to attack better matchups in other parts of the field. Considering the monster game that Drake London had the first time these two teams met, calling it a letdown on Sunday afternoon would be an understatement.
Ray-Ray McCloud III: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 9 Yards | 1 Carry, 17 Yards
Charlie Woerner: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 13 Yards
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield: 37/50, 330 Yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs, 1 FUM | 3 Carries, 11 Yards
Mayfield aired it out plenty against Atlanta, but at home, he simply could not will the Bucs to a win.
The game was competitive early and Mayfield was at the forefront of the effort, matching blow for blow with the Falcons and keeping the game close at the half. It was downhill from there, however, with the veteran quarterback throwing two interceptions that ballooned the lead permanently out of reach. Tampa Bay had a single possession that yielded points in the second half, and without the weaponry that Mayfield has grown accustomed to, it was tough sledding on the afternoon. He still had great stats and managed three total scores through the air, but his ceiling is certainly lowered without the usual star power.
Running Back
Rachaad White: 6 Carries, 29 Yards, 1 FUM (Lost) | 6 Targets, 5 Receptions, 38 Yards, 1 TD
Rachaad White came right back down to Earth against the NFC South leaders.
The committee approach certainly hindered his opportunities, but White set the tone in a negative way early with a costly fumble on the team’s second play from scrimmage. He still averaged a healthy 5.0 yards per carry and was a factor in the passing game as one of the few options left for Mayfield and the offense, but it left many wanting after his season-best performance last week against Baltimore.
Bucky Irving: 9 Carries, 44 Yards | 7 Targets, 7 Receptions, 40 Yards
Bucky Irving’s status was in doubt early in the week, but he powered through and managed to lead the Tampa Bay backfield in rushing attempts and yards on the ground. The competition for touches is what will cap the former Oregon Duck’s production week to week, but he’s managing well with what he’s given.
Sean Tucker: 2 Carries, 3 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 12 Yards
Tavierre Thomas: 1 Carry, -2 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Cade Otton: 10 Targets, 9 Receptions, 81 Yards, 2 TDs
Otton is the man in Tampa Bay going forward.
The young tight endhad shown flashes of his potential throughout the first few weeks of the season, but with the Bucs desperate for anyone to step up, he exploded in a massive way, leading the team in targets by a mile while pacing the home team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns to boot. Considering the day that his counterpart Pitts had on the opposite side, the fact that Otton even managed to outshine him on a career type of day speaks volumes.
Jalen McMillan: 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 35 Yards | 1 Carry, 17 Yards
The rookie had a mild performance as the next man up in the Buccaneers’ wide receiver corps.
Tied for second on the team in targets, Jalen McMillan made himself useful for the offense, albeit at a capped pace in comparison to the wideouts he is now filling in for. He made some solid catches and looks promising, even if the numbers don’t really reflect it.
Rakim Jarrett: 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 24 Yards, 1 FUM (Lost) |
Buried on the depth chart and making his return from a long IR stint, Rakim Jarrett quietly filled in for the Bucs and brought in everything sent his way for a healthy 58 yards. With how banged up his fellow receivers are, it’s encouraging that he was used so quickly out of the gate and maybe something to keep an eye on, at least until Evans returns.
Sterling Sheppard: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 18 Yards
Not much to say for the veteran here. Before his injury, he had been a nonfactor and now depletes the wide receiver corps even further for Tampa Bay.
Trey Palmer: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 29 Yards
Ryan Miller: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 19 Yards