NFL Week 3 Thursday Game Preview: Falcons look to rebound at home against Bucs

The past two weeks in the NFL have been some of the most tumultuous in recent memory for reasons that have nothing to do with football.  In fact, the serious nature of the various controversies -- domestic violence, child abuse, and perhaps a league cover-up -- have made the games seem almost trivial in comparison.

Nevertheless, the games will resume, and Week 3 begins on Thursday night (CBS/NFLN, 8:25 PM ET) with the Atlanta Falcons (1-1) hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2) in an NFC South matchup.

Following a 37-34 overtime win against New Orleans on Kickoff Weekend, Atlanta lost 24-10 at Cincinnati (2-0) in Week 2 and will be eager to rebound against Tampa Bay.

“It was a tough loss, but in this league it’s about bouncing back,” said Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. “It comes quickly for us this week. We’ll take a quick look at this game and try to make some corrections and move on. It is a good thing we’re going on Thursday.”

Last week, Ryan completed 24 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown.  He has 62 touchdown passes since 2012, tied for the third-most in the NFL during that span.

Of Ryan’s 24 completions, wide receiver Roddy White hauled in five, helping the two combine for 530 career completions, the most by any quarterback and receiver duo in the NFL since Ryan entered the league in 2008.

Heading into Thursday’s contest at the Georgia Dome, Ryan has won 37 of 47 regular-season home starts during his career. In six home contests against Tampa Bay, he has a 5-1 record with a 100.6 passer rating. Ryan has compiled a 3-1 record in Thursday games, throwing for seven touchdowns and no interceptions.

Meanwhile in Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers look to get on track after a 19-17 loss last week to a depleted St. Louis Rams squad. The Buccaneers have won two of their past three games against the Falcons and lead the all-time series between the teams 21-20.

In the last matchup, Tampa Bay's tall wide receiver Vincent Jackson had 10 receptions for 165 yards and a touchdown in a 41-28 victory. Since joining Tampa Bay in 2012, Jackson’s 449 receiving yards are the most of any receiver against the Falcons.

Tampa Bay’s running back tandem of Doug Martin and Bobby Rainey also seek to continue their rushing success against Atlanta. In three career games against the Falcons, Martin has rushed for 239 yards (79.7 yards per game) and three touchdowns.  In Rainey’s only career matchup against Atlanta last season, he rushed for a career-high 163 yards and scored three touchdowns.

Since realignment in 2002, no NFC South team has won division titles in consecutive seasons.

WEEK 3 FALCONS-BUCS INJURY REPORT – TUESDAY


TAMPA BAY


DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

LB Mason Foster (shoulder), DT Gerald McCoy (hand), CB Rashaan Melvin (ankle), TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (ankle)


LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

C Evan Dietrich-Smith (back), DE William Gholston (shoulder), DE Michael Johnson (ankle), G Logan Mankins (knee), RB Doug Martin (knee)


FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

DT Da'Quan Bowers (abdomen), T Demar Dotson (hamstring), S Bradley McDougald (knee)


ATLANTA FALCONS


DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

WR Roddy White (hamstring)


FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

WR Julio Jones (ankle), T Jake Matthews (ankle), LB Prince Shembo (knee)


By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services