Here’s your NFL preview of the Atlanta Falcons vs Tampa Bay Bucs for October 3rd, 2024. Tampa Bay Enters the game at 3-1 and the Falcons are 2-2.You can check out the overview, odds, and TV schedule for the game below.
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When I break this game down in this NFL week 5 matchup, At first glance, I see an Atlanta Falcons team that was very fortunate to escape at home with a win against the Saints, creating a flukey 45-yard interception touchdown return, along with a muffed punt recovered in the end zone for 14 of their 26 points. Add to that a 58-yard game-winning field goal, and we can see how they survived.
Tampa Bay, on the other hand, comes in at 3-1 after defeating the Eagles. The Bucs’ other two wins were at Detroit and a decisive 37-20 victory over Washington, which is a win that is aging very well. The Falcons sit at 2-2 with a weak home field, having already lost two games at home. Meanwhile, the Bucs’ lone road game was a win in Detroit.
Baker Mayfield
Mayfield has looked solid this year, completing 70% of his passes with a strong 8-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Mayfield also has some mobility left, as evidenced by his two touchdowns on the ground. In the backfield, Bucky Irving is slowly becoming the better half of the 1-2 punch, averaging 5.8 yards per carry compared to Rachaad White’s 2.8. While there are some secondary issues, the Bucs are effectively holding teams to field goals.
As we look at the Falcons, they are quite fortunate not to be 0-4 right now. Between the Saints this past week and Saquon Barkley dropping the easiest pass of all time , their two wins were essentially gifted to them. The consistency at wide receiver is lacking for the Falcons, and while Kirk Cousins is completing 64.7% of his passes, he still only has a 4-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Even Bijan Robinson is below the NFL average, averaging just 4.1 yards per carry.
Breaking this down, I see Chris Godwin and especially Mike Evans for the Bucs as the real game-breakers, while I don’t see any game-breakers for the Falcons. If this were Sunday, I would be more inclined to get to the window and bet on the Bucs -2. I still lean toward the Bucs, but I tend to stay away from road teams on a short week as the season progresses. This one may well come down to the wire, and although Tampa Bay is the better team, I might have to stay away. LEAN: TAMPA BAY -2
What is the Atlanta Falcons vs Tampa Bay Bucs Spread?
The Falcons (2-2) are -2.5 point favorites against the Bucs (3-1) in this game. The over/under is now 42.5. Although it’s still early, both teams are looking to not fall too far behind in their positioning in the early NFL Playoff picture during week 5 of the NFL regular season.
How to Watch the Atlanta Falcons vs Tampa Bay Bucs on TV?
The Atlanta Falcons vs Tampa Bay Bucs game is being shown on Prime TV at 8:05 PM ET. The game is part of the Prime Video Thursday Night Football lineup.
When is the 2025 NFL Postseason Schedule?
If you are wanting to checkout the potential NFL Playoff 2025 schedule for either team, you can see it here. You can also look at a blank NFL Playoff and Superbowl bracket up here. If you are looking for the NFL schedule grid or other regular season team schedules we have those up for you to checkout the upcoming games for the Falcons, Bucs, and other teams.