FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — For the first time this season, the Atlanta Falcons will square off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The game will take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. ET. Both teams are coming off impressive victories. The Falcons handed the San Francisco 49ers their first loss of the season, beating them 29-20 in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Buccaneers ran for 258 yards in a 43-13 road win against the Carolina Panthers.
Baker Mayfield returned at quarterback for the Buccaneers in Week 7 after missing three games due to a thumb injury, but he didn’t have to do too much in the team’s win. He attempted just 11 passes and finished with 64 yards and a touchdown. If Mayfield’s thumb is feeling better, he could have a bigger role in Tampa Bay’s game plan against the Falcons, but the Buccaneers have been largely driven by their defense this season. Against Carolina, their defense forced four turnovers and scored on a fumble returned for a touchdown. The Falcons also forced four turnovers in their win against the 49ers and were effective in limiting quarterback Brock Purdy, who had been playing well during San Francisco’s 6-0 start.
Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw three touchdown passes against the 49ers, and has nine touchdown passes and only one interception in his five starts this season. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance and looked comfortable distributing the ball to his talented weapons. One of those weapons is tight end Kyle Pitts, who had a career-best day in his last trip down to Tampa Bay. The former Florida Gator caught 11 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns against the Buccaneers in Week 15 last season, and he’s looking forward to heading back to the Sunshine State.
For those who won’t make the trip to Florida for the game, here’s how you can catch all the action between the Falcons and Buccaneers.