World HOt toPPIX

Atlanta Falcons - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13-16 - Dominant defense gives Buccaneers division lead.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got four sacks. They pressured the quarterback all day. They forced three turnovers. They held the opponent to thirteen points. Their huge running back got 24 touches at 3.4 yards per carry. Their quarterback looked a little off with his throws, throwing two interceptions. And the Bucs squeezed out a three-point victory on the back of an excellent defense.

The Buccaneers set the tone for the entire game very early. On the first play of the game they pressured Matt Ryan into an incomplete pass. On the second play of the game they stuffed Michael Turner for a three-yard loss. And on the third play of the game Dekoda Watson came screaming around the edge, forced a fumble on Matt Ryan which was recovered by Ronde Barber.

And then, the offense decided to throw the points away as Josh Freeman threw an ugly endzone interception to Thomas Decoud. This would be a theme all game as the Bucs seemingly couldn't score in the red zone.

Not to worry, though, as the Bucs defense got right back to it. The Bucs spotted the Falcons 14 yards before shutting them down, as they got good pressure on the quarterback. The Bucs and Falcons traded possessions another time, before the Bucs got a 37-yard drive going to put the first points on the board and go up 3-0.

The Falcons struck back with an 84-yard drive, but the Bucs defense held on in the red zone as the Falcons had to settle for a game-tying field goal. And then the Bucs started their only complete drive of the game, even though it was pretty ugly. Somehow the Bucs managed to get down to the goalline, where Josh Freeman sneaked it in for the touchdown. Luke Stocker had two catches for 33 yards on the drive, showing his receiving prowess.

And the defensive line continued its dominance afterward. Another sack-fumble, this time on a huge hit by Adrian Clayborn, and the Bucs got the ball in the red zone again. And again, they failed to capitalize and had to settle for a field goal. As the Bucs handed the ball back inside the two-minute warning to the Atlanta Falcons it looked like Ryan would march downfield, but Ronde Barber put an end to that with an interception as time expired.

In the second half, things started out the same. The Bucs took eight minutes off the clock with a run-heavy drive, but stalled inside red zone to take a 16-3 lead. The Falcons then got down to Tampa Bay territory, but a bad snap gifted Mason Foster his second career sack and ended that drive. And then the offense did something stupid again: after moving downfield, Freeman threw an interception on a high ball behind Arrelious Benn.

An exchange of possessions later Matt Ryan took two plays to go 60 yards for a touchdown: one deep to Julio Jones who had gotten behind everyone, and one to Tony Gonzalez for the touchdown. The Bucs couldn't get anything going on their next drive, and the Falcons then marched downfield to add another field goal. Ryan repeatedly victimized E.J. Biggers on that drive, who was covering Roddy White. But in the red zone Biggers managed to two pass deflections to keep the Falcons to a field goal.

With the score 13-16, the Bucs offense had to show up and they finally did. The Bucs rode Legarrette Blount to two first downs, and finished out the game with a beautiful play on fourth-and-one. They got the Falcons to jump offside, giving the Bucs the first down and allowing Josh Freeman to kneel out the game.

This win was a defensive win more than anything. With three turnovers, four sacks, seven tackles for loss and many more quarterback hurries and hits the defense probably had its most complete game in Raheem Morris' tenure. Outside of one drive, the defense was dominant. The offense was surprisingly quiet, but just like in the old days they did just enough to win the game.

The win didn't come without a price. Geno Hayes and Cody Grimm both left the game and wouldn't return. Hayes seems to be okay as he had a head injury, likely a concussion. Cody Grimm, on the other hand, was immediately ruled out for the game and carted off the field. He may have sustained serious ligament damage to his right knee. An MRI will be performed tomorrow to determine the extent of the injury.

They are now tied for the division lead with the New Orleans Saints, as both teams are 2-1. Next week the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are featured on Monday Night Football as the Peyton Manning-less Indianapolis Colts come by to visit Raymond James Stadium. The Colts may be the worst football team in the league right now, and the Bucs should be able to pull out a win in their first Monday Night Football game since 2008.

Read More: Roddy White (WR - ATL), Ronde Barber (CB - TAM), Michael Turner (RB - ATL), Thomas DeCoud (S - ATL), Geno Hayes (LB - TAM), E.J. Biggers (CB - TAM), Josh Freeman (QB - TAM), Dekoda Watson (LB - TAM), LeGarrette Blount (RB - TAM), Arrelious Benn (WR - TAM), Cody Grimm (S - TAM), Adrian Clayborn (DE - TAM), Luke Stocker (TE - TAM), Julio Jones (WR - ATL), Mason Foster (LB - TAM)

by sports_aficionado on Sep 26, 2011 1:50 AM EDT up reply actions Was it just me or was Ryan not the same after the Clayborn hit? That guy hits like a freight train!

by Brooklyn Buc on Sep 25, 2011 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions Thats one big ass bear hug! Roger Goddel got off easy. Hopefully we see that way more in the future from him.

by aakks on Sep 26, 2011 8:14 AM EDT up reply actions looking at the game Colts vs steelers the colts offence dont look the same with out manning, I think coming in next week monday the colts going to run the ball more and as for their D they look like the team thats carrying the team vs the steelers.

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Sep 26, 2011 12:44 AM EDT up reply actions You think Tomlin might share some info with his good friend Raheem.

by Bucfan on Sep 25, 2011 10:26 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions Hell yeah. Our offensive line has shown that it is definitely the main need for improvement.

by Krobify on Sep 25, 2011 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions Sorry I was gone today But you know how a 8-game channel sucks your soul into a trance. But ugh, complete change this week. Our boys in pewter looked solid. Barber had a pretty good game. Blount was a little slow to get it cranking but surely and slowly he was able to convert for the Bucs. Stocker seems to be growing week by week and looked a little more comfortable than last week. K2 didn?t have a big game but again, another deflected reception(initially intended for M.W.) so theres kudos there. Our oline did a good job, besides that our runs are being predictable by running to the right but I doubt that wrinkle will persist that much longer.

As Clayborn, Price and McCoy are concerned, they put in a full?s days work today. Price wasn?t in there too much, but early in the game penetrated nicely. He?s certainly capable of flashing. Gmac had a grove. Foster and Co looked nasty when asked to Blizt, a sure-fire opposite of our usual pressure packages. I was cringing when I saw Barber on White, but handled the assignment.

IDK if ATL had anticipated to use JJ as an unveiling event, but Rah knew better than to give him too less coverage. So forget what could of been a red-ribbon event and all in all, as a Fan, the Buc?s looked like we finally made it over the hump. Start buying tickets and gear because I think TB has finally stepped up like Today. 3 cheers for the home team!!!

by Titankillah on Sep 25, 2011 11:20 PM EDT reply actions looked so Dungy-esque today... I just wish 3rd and short meant we lined up and ran, or ran playaction.

by chiefs_55 on Sep 25, 2011 11:29 PM EDT via SB Nation iPhone app reply actions Ugly win, but a HUGE win for the franchise This should give this team some confidence moving forward. Now we just need Free to get his magic back from last year.

by aakks on Sep 26, 2011 8:12 AM EDT reply actions Freeman has been high on most of his throws this season. It?s like he doesn?t have any touch anymore. He has already thrown 2/3 the amount of picks he did all of last season and only two TDs. I?m not sure how much of the blame Olson shoulders for the lack of TDs but those picks are on Freeman. He has now turned it over twice in the red zone as well.

I?m happy to be 2-1, but I don?t think we?ve won the last two games so much as the Vikes and Falcons lost them. I understand a win?s a win, but I don?t think we have any hope of competing in the playoffs unless something drastically changes.

Nope. We won yesterday. Ryan got knocked and Turner was held to 20 yards. Looking through his stats, that?s his lowest in years. That?s an accomplishment when you consider how terrible the Bucs rushing defense has been.

It has more to do with your statement that you don?t think we won, that the Vikes and Falcons lost. We did win, but not because of what Freeman did. We won because the D shut down Turner and got pressure on Ryan. We won because the O-line decided to show up late in the 4th and get Blount going. We won because Free knows how to get opponents to jump offsides. Lots of reasons why we won (rather than just the other team playing poorly enough to lose). So, this one isn?t on Free?s shoulders, that?s ok, I?m good with that. Josh will shoulder the load in other games when other aspects are struggling (like last week against the Vikes late comeback to win). I?m glad we can win more than just one way, because if it was all on Freeman all the time, I think we?d never even make the playoffs. That?s too much for one guy and too easy for other teams to gameplan for.

by Bucfan on Sep 26, 2011 11:59 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions Not true. What?s more likely? The defensive line is suddenly unstoppable, or the same offensive line that gave up five sacks in week one and four sacks last week is still terrible?

by LeeCaz on Sep 26, 2011 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions I just went and checked and Chicago?s pass rush really declined after playing Atlanta. They recorded five sacks on Ryan, but then only one on Drew Brees and two on Aaron Rodgers yesterday. Of course those are two premier passing offenses.

by LeeCaz on Sep 26, 2011 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions I think it's a combination of both It?s not like this defensive line never showed anything. It got pressure the first two weeks, but little things and circumstances kept them from showing up on the stat sheet. Yes, playing a weak line helps, but the defensive line as a whole played well.

Monday Night Football Open Thread What is Wrong with Josh Freeman? A breakout game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense? Cody Grimm will miss the rest of the season with an ACL injury Daily Bucs Links 9/26/11 - Bucs win, Bucs win, Bucs win! Atlanta Falcons - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13-16 - Dominant defense gives Buccaneers division lead Bucs finally beat Falcons, share the division lead at 2-1! Atlanta Falcons - Tampa Bay Buccaneers inactives - Quincy Black, Stephen Nicholas inactive Bucs Nation Early Games Open Thread - Go Texans!

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