Atlanta Falcons bold predictions for Week 15 against the Buccaneers.
With just a few games left in the 2020 NFL season, the Atlanta Falcons are kicking off facing a divisional opponent for the first of two games over the final three weeks of the year here in Week 15.
Atlanta will take part in its final regular-season home game of the 2020 campaign, returning home to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to welcome in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon.
The game will be the first game of two contests between the two teams this year, with the second and final game of the two-game series coming in the regular-season finale in Week 17 in Tampa Bay.
The Falcons come into the divisional matchup with a record of 4-9 overall, having fallen in three of their last four games while riding into Week 15 with a two-game losing streak.
Atlanta most recently fell on the road to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14, dropping the game 20-17 behind a late-game field goal from the Chargers that pushed them out in front on their home field.
On the other side of the field this weekend, Tampa Bay comes into the contest at 8-5 overall and in a Wild Card spot in the NFC with a few games left to play before postseason action begins. The Buccaneers got back on track in Week 14 with a win at home over the Minnesota Vikings to avoid a three-game losing streak going into Week 15.
As both Atlanta and Tampa Bay look to get a win in the first game between the two NFC South teams on Sunday in Week 15, let’s take a dive into some bold predictions that will take place in the contest.
3. Buccaneers defense will be the difference-maker
One thing that Atlanta will have its hands full with throughout the course of the Week 15 game against Tampa Bay this weekend is facing off against a top-tier defense on the side of the Buccaneers.
Going into the game, Tampa Bay has one of the top defensive units in the NFL, coming into the divisional showdown with the seventh-ranked defense. On the other side of the field, however, Atlanta has a talented offense that could give Tampa Bay’s defense fits, holding the 15th-ranked offense in the league through 14 weeks.
The Falcons have averaged 25.2 points per game on offense to this point in the season, with the Buccaneers defense giving up an average of 22.6 points per contest.
Atlanta certainly has the ability to run up the score in any given game, but the continued injury issues on offense — especially with wide receiver Julio Jones yet again — might accumulate to be just too much for the Falcons to overcome against a top-notch defense on the other side of the field.
In a game that will likely be a higher scoring contest, it will be about which defense will be able to step up and shut down the opposing offense at key points in the game. In the end, it will be Tampa Bay’s defense that will make the different to lead the Buccaneers against Atlanta.