The Bucs are battling with Arizona (9-2) and Green Bay (9-3) for the top spot in the NFC. "There's still a long way to go," Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians said. "The Saints are a hell of a football team. That defense – I'll never cross them out.
Three-game lead right now, (but) we've got a long way to go." Carolina has played good and bad, and Atlanta is a game out of the playoffs. With two straight victories, the Bucs have shaken off a two-game losing streak that seemed even longer because it was sandwiched around a bye week. Last week, Tampa Bay rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit for a 38-31 win at Indianapolis. "On to the next," said running back Leonard Fournette, who was named NFC offensive player of the week. Every win counts, so we need every game." "We know this is a division game and December football. Known as a punishing runner, Fournette has a bigger role in the passing game in his second year playing with Brady.įournette has rushed for 621 yards and seven touchdowns. He's second on the team with 51 receptions for another 354 yards and one TD. "The main focus is December football," he said. "We know how important this is as far as playoffs and having home-field advantage, so we're trying to figure that out."įournette was in beast mode vs. He rushed for 100 yards and three TDs, including the clinching score with 20 seconds remaining. In his first season with the Falcons, Cordarrelle Patterson has clearly emerged as their most valuable player. The hybrid back can pretty much do it all - run the ball, catch passes, return kicks. Now, he's also listed as a backup safety on the depth chart after lining up at that position for one play in last week's victory over Jacksonville. While the Falcons have no plans to make Patterson a regular part of the defensive rotation, he hopes to play enough on that side of the line to get an interception. Tampa Bay is more concerned with his offensive repertoire. "Stop Cordarrelle Patterson, for sure, in the kicking and the running game, and as a receiver," Arians said. Tampa Bay leads the NFL in run defense, allowing just 81 yards per game.īut the Bucs have been so good against the rushing game that opponents rarely even attempt to test them.
That puts an added burden on Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who doesn't have a whole lot of weapons in the passing game beyond Patterson and rookie tight end Kyle Pitts. "I can do a better job than I've done the last couple of weeks." "We just haven't been in a rhythm that much in the pass game and I think a lot of it comes down to early just getting some momentum," Ryan said.
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