A divisional showdown will be heading our way this Sunday in Week 13 as the Atlanta Falcons host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Can the Bucs extend their winning run against the Falcons, or will Atlanta record an upset in this NFC South clash? Here's a breakdown of the Bucs vs Falcons matchup.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter Week 13 as -10 favorites
Tampa Bay extended its winning streak to two games with a thrilling 38-31 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12. It was a critical victory for the Bucs, who now hold a commanding three-game lead atop the NFC South standings.
Leonard Fournette led the reigning Super Bowl champions in the narrow win, accounting for four total touchdowns against the Colts. He did most of his damage on the ground, rushing for 100 yards and three scores on 17 carries. Fournette was also an integral part of Tampa Bay's passing game, catching seven passes for 31 yards and a touchdown.
HAVE YOURSELF A DAY LEONARD FOURNETTE 😳
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 28, 2021
4 TDs for the Bucs RB
(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/5tp41r28bX
Fournette's four scrimmage touchdowns were a new career-high for him as he continues his resurgence with Tampa Bay. The former LSU standout already has more touchdowns (8) this season than he did in all of last year (6).
The Bucs' defense also showed up on Sunday, forcing Indianapolis to commit five turnovers. That proved costly for the Colts, with Tom Brady and the Bucs scoring immediately after four of those five errors.
Related Article: New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills Week 13 Predictions, Picks, Odds, and MNF Preview
Atlanta Falcons installed as +10 underdogs
The Atlanta Falcons finally snapped their two-game losing skid with a 21-14 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 12. It was a big win for the Falcons, who improved their record to 5-6.
Cordarelle Patterson starred for the Falcons in the Week 12 win, running for a career-high 108 yards and a couple of touchdowns in his first game back from an ankle injury. Patterson's contributions were timely as the Falcons had not found the end zone in their previous two games, both of which ended in humiliating defeats against the Dallas Cowboys and the New England Patriots.
For the Falcons to record the upset win against Tampa Bay, they will need to establish their ground game against the Bucs. They ran for a season-high 149 yards in the win against Jacksonville. However, the Falcons will have their work cut out for them against a Bucs team that has the best rushing defense in the league, allowing just 81.0 yards per game this season.
If Atlanta's ground game bogs down against Tampa Bay, it is vital for the Falcons that Matt Ryan delivers a solid outing in Week 13. He completed 19 of 29 passes for 190 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the win against the Jags.
Writer's Prediction
Tampa Bay wins and covers the spread.
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