Falcons Fuel NFC South Shake-up as Week 8 Rankings Shift

WHO:

atlantafalcons.com - Falcons edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, 34, had a team-leading 4.5 sacks in five games and ranked 15th in quarterback pressure rate at 17.4% among defenders with at least 85 pass-rush snaps. He hosted a dinner for Atlanta’s defensive line after joining the team during training camp.

atlantafalcons.com - Falcons offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs and center Graham Barton were credited with helping Tampa Bay dominate at the line of scrimmage.

atlantafalcons.com - Panthers head coach Dave Canales said: “Just really disappointed. Really don't know what that game would've looked like. 22 points off of turnovers. Really in every phase. The sack-fumble protection issue, two interceptions, dropped punt (return) led to points. The blocked kick, all those things, really just kind of mounting up to putting us in a really big hole to see if we can try to dig out of it.”

atlantafalcons.com - Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said the team controlled time of possession, avoided settling for too many field goals, scored touchdowns and generated turnovers in its win over Carolina.

atlantafalcons.com - Saints head coach Kellen Moore said: “We had our opportunities, but ultimately they made a few more plays than us. Margins are small in this game, and when you have your opportunities, you've got to take advantage of them, and they made more than we did.”

atlantafalcons.com - Rookie tackle Ethan Onianwa is Atlanta’s backup tackle on the unofficial Week 8 depth chart.

atlantafalcons.com - The Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints are the NFC South teams covered.

atlantafalcons.com - Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. completed 25 of 34 passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns against San Francisco, connecting with 10 targets; he had six touchdown passes and no turnovers over his previous two games.

atlantafalcons.com - Falcons linebacker Kendal Daniels led Atlanta with 11 tackles, including nine solo, against San Francisco after a neck injury in Week 6. Safety Jessie Bates III also played a key role.

atlantafalcons.com - Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said: “We took care of it, we took it away. That's a great recipe for winning in this league.”

atlantafalcons.com - Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving rushed 24 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns against Carolina. Kenny Gainwell had 88 rushing yards and Sean Tucker had 52.

buccaneers.com - Tampa Bay outside cornerbacks Zyon McCollum and Jacob Parrish had a combined number of passes defensed this season; Parrish led the NFL with 11 and allowed a 73.5 passer rating when targeted, while McCollum allowed a 58.5 rating.

atlantafalcons.com - Panthers tight end Darren Waller caught one pass, a 50-yard touchdown. Linebacker Bobby Okereke led Carolina with 10 tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass deflection.

atlantafalcons.com - Saints receiver Devaughn Vele caught all five targets for 54 yards and a fourth-down touchdown. Saints defensive end Carl Granderson had 1.5 sacks, four quarterback pressures and four tackles; he had 5.5 sacks for the season.

WHAT:

atlantafalcons.com - In one cited Week 8 ranking, Tampa Bay rose six spots and Houston fell six; the Raiders dropped seven spots, from No. 18 to No. 24.

atlantafalcons.com - Atlanta was 3-2 in the five games since Michael Penix Jr. returned to the lineup and outscored opponents by 36 points over that stretch.

atlantafalcons.com - Carolina turned the ball over three times against Tampa Bay; the article attributed 22 points to those turnovers.

atlantafalcons.com - Kyle Pitts scored four touchdowns in Atlanta’s three most recent games, according to buccaneers.com.

atlantafalcons.com - New Orleans’ 18 rushing yards on 17 carries against Pittsburgh extended a recent trend of reliance on its passing game, the article reported.

atlantafalcons.com - Atlanta’s depth chart lists cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. returning from injured reserve and offensive tackle Michael Jerrell being placed on injured reserve.

atlantafalcons.com - Tampa Bay ran the ball 49 times against Carolina while asking Baker Mayfield to throw 11 passes; its 258 rushing yards were the fourth-highest single-game total in franchise history.

atlantafalcons.com - Atlanta has won games against Green Bay, New Orleans and San Francisco by generating momentum-changing plays, according to the article.

atlantafalcons.com - Saints quarterback Tyler Shough completed 30 of 38 passes for 278 yards and one touchdown against Pittsburgh; New Orleans gained 18 rushing yards on 17 carries and scored 10 points.

buccaneers.com - Tampa Bay ranks third in opponent average kickoff-drive start this season; against Carolina, it kicked off into the landing zone eight times and allowed no return longer than 28 yards.

buccaneers.com - Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts has six career touchdowns against Tampa Bay and had 11 catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns in the teams’ Week 15 matchup last season.

atlantafalcons.com - Atlanta beat the previously undefeated San Francisco 49ers 29-20, forcing four turnovers and committing none. San Francisco outgained Atlanta 400-295 and had 26 first downs to Atlanta’s 21.

atlantafalcons.com - The Falcons’ Week 8 power rankings included No. 19 (+3), No. 21 (+4), No. 13 (+6), No. 19 (+2), No. 19 (+1) and No. 19 (+4), across the rankings cited. One ranking placed Atlanta at No. 19, noting the team was 3-4.

atlantafalcons.com - The Falcons allowed a season-low 8.8% pressure rate against San Francisco. Penix averaged 6.8 yards per attempt under pressure, with one touchdown and one interception, and 8.4 yards per attempt when kept clean, with eight touchdowns and no interceptions.

atlantafalcons.com - Tampa Bay beat Carolina 43-13, rushing 49 times for 258 yards and three touchdowns. Irving scored twice; linebacker Yaya Diaby recorded three sacks, and defensive lineman Calijah Kancey returned a fumble 32 yards for a touchdown.

buccaneers.com - Tampa Bay was 2-5 and Atlanta 3-4 before their Week 8 matchup. The Buccaneers’ win over Carolina made their all-time series level at 26-26; Atlanta led the all-time series against Tampa Bay 33-32.

buccaneers.com - The last six Buccaneers-Falcons meetings were each decided by six points or fewer. Tampa Bay won 23-20 in last year’s season opener; Atlanta won 29-28 in Week 15.

buccaneers.com - Tampa Bay’s offense ranked third in rushing at 146.4 yards per game; Atlanta’s defense allowed 88.9 rushing yards per game, fourth-lowest. Atlanta averaged 139.9 rushing yards per game, while Tampa Bay allowed 77.3.

atlantafalcons.com - Tampa Bay ranked No. 19 in one cited Week 8 ranking, up nine places from No. 28; the Giants rose six places to No. 17, and the Texans fell five places to No. 21.

WHERE:

atlantafalcons.com - Atlanta defeated San Francisco at home; the Falcons were 1-3 at home for the season after the win.

atlantafalcons.com - Tampa Bay defeated Carolina in Carolina; the Falcons and Buccaneers’ upcoming matchup was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

WHEN:

atlantafalcons.com - Atlanta’s Week 8 kickoff against Tampa Bay is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

atlantafalcons.com - The Falcons and Buccaneers’ first meeting of the season was scheduled for Week 8.

WHY:

atlantafalcons.com - The article said Atlanta’s turnovers and ability to make situational plays helped it beat San Francisco despite trailing in total yards and first downs.

buccaneers.com - The Week 8 divisional matchup was important to both teams’ NFC South race; Carolina held a slim 3-3 division lead, and Tampa Bay had five remaining divisional games after its win over the Panthers.

HOW:

atlantafalcons.com - Tampa Bay exploited Carolina’s run defense, which had allowed 5.12 yards per carry entering Week 7, by rushing 49 times for 258 yards.

buccaneers.com - Tampa Bay’s defense had five sacks over its prior two games, after recording six in its first six games. Atlanta had allowed sacks on 7.96% of pass plays, and Penix was not sacked against San Francisco.

Atlanta stunned the previously undefeated San Francisco 49ers 29 to 20 at home, forcing four turnovers without giving the ball away, despite being outgained 400 to 295. Michael Penix Jr. threw three touchdowns, and the Falcons have gone 3-2 since his return, while Tampa Bay overwhelmed Carolina 43 to 13 behind 258 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. The Falcons and Buccaneers are set to meet in Tampa in Week 8, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.