The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and back up quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick looked to win their third straight on the road against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, and started the football game with the football after Atlanta won the toss and elected to defer. The run game got off to a solid start on the drive, and the Bucs were able to move the ball into the red zone, but the drive stalled just inside the 20-yard-line after Desmond Trufant broke up a Fitzpatrick pass to Mike Evans in the end zone on a third down play. Patrick Murray came in to hit a 36-yard field goal to put the Bucs ahead 3-0 after a drive that chewed up just over five minutes to start the contest.
The Falcons first drive got off to a good start as well, but after a Taylor Gabriel holding penalty and a good play by Justin Evans forced Atlanta into a 3rd-and-15, and after they fell two yards short on third down, Matt Bryant came in to kick a field goal of his own, tying the game at 3-3. Evans had a very solid first drive defensively, as the Bucs rookie safety had four tackles, including one for a loss, and broke up a deep pass intended for Julio Jones.
After each team had decent drives that put up points to start the game, each went back and forth with uninspiring offensive drives to end the first quarter, as the Falcons punted the ball back to Tampa Bay on the final play of the opening quarter.
The Bucs started the second quarter at the 20-yard-line after Matt Bosher’s punt bounced into the end zone as the first quarter expired. Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, it would take less than a minute for the offense to go 3-and-out.
The only thing more frustrating for the Buccaneers than a quick 3-and-out was seeing Matt Ryan split out wide on 3rd-and-1 on the ensuing drive as Mohamed Sanu lined up in the shotgun. While it would look like a situation for a trick play as the former college quarterback turned wide receiver lined up in the shotgun, despite bobbling the snap, Sanu looked and threw deep to Jones who caught it while crossing the goal line, giving the Falcons a 51-yard touchdown, and 10-3 lead.
The uninspiring football continued on the Bucs next drive as they couldn’t get anything going, and somehow managed to make it look as if Atlanta was bringing pressure on a 3rd-and-14 where they dropped everyone into coverage only to watch Fitzpatrick rush the ball out towards Charles Sims in the flat as if he was being blitzed.
The route looked every bit on following the Bucs poor drive as the defense came onto the field to watch the Julio Jones show as Julio marched the football down the field, almost single-handedly, capping off the drive with his second touchdown reception of the game, pushing the score to 17-3 Atlanta with just under seven and a half minutes to play in the half.
Things looked promising on the following drive as the Bucs were able to move the ball inside the 10-yard-line, but Fitzpatrick and the Bucs would once again settle for a field goal when Mike Evans failed to haul in a Fitzpatrick pass on 3rd-and-goal, and after another Murray field goal it was 17-6 Falcons.
The drive ended with too much time on the clock however, as Atlanta would start the half’s final drive with 1:29 left on the clock, and that would be plenty of time for Ryan and the Falcons to add another three points as they drove the ball into Bucs territory and sent Matt Bryant onto the field to push the score to 20-6 heading into halftime.
The second half started offensively, as the Falcons marched the ball down the field quickly before Tevin Coleman punched the ball in from three yards out to make it a three-touchdown game at 27-6. The Bucs would have a touchdown drive of their own to start the second half, and after O.J. Howard set up a 1st-and-goal on his first reception of the game, Peyton Barber punched it in for six, and the Bucs were back to within two touchdowns at 27-13.
Back to within two touchdowns, the Bucs defense finally came up with a stop after allowing Atlanta to score or four consecutive possessions, giving the ball back to the offense with an opportunity to pull back to within a score. The drive got off to a quick start after Fitzpatrick found O.J. Howard and Mike Evans for big plays to get the ball deep into Falcons territory. A Fitzpatrick scramble later, and the Bucs were on the doorstep of the red zone as the game moved into the final quarter.
Less than a minute and a half into the fourth quarter it was once again Barber punching the ball in for a touchdown, and the Bucs were back to within a touchdown at 27-20.
The Falcons started their next drive quickly as Ryan found Jones again, this time for 44 yards, pushing Jones to over 200 receiving yards on the day, and the Falcons into Buccaneers territory. Moments later, Ryan founds Jones easily to convert a 3rd-and-8, and give the Falcons a first down at the Bucs 23-yard-line. Just when it looked inevitable that the Falcons would ahead go ahead by two scores, Kendell Beckwith forced a Terron Ward fumble, which Brent Grimes picked up and returned to the 42-yard-line.
The Bucs drove the ball all the way to the Falcons 18-yard-line before inexplicably throwing the ball towards the end zone on a 4th-and-1 and giving the ball up on downs, and coming away empty handed.
In all too predictable fashion, the Falcons took the ensuing drive and milked the clock, and Buccaneers fans’ hopes along with it, as the Bucs would watch Tevin Coleman stole into the end zone plays later to cap the scoring at 34-20.